


Hellraiser: Beyond the Gates of Hell

by TheUnkindledQueen



Category: Hellraiser (Comics), Hellraiser (Movies)
Genre: Blood and Violence, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Family Drama, i hated the movies after three so i made this kind of to redo hellraiser 7, i wrote this years ago and decided to edit and repost it here, if kirsty had a child
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:34:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 44,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26893759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheUnkindledQueen/pseuds/TheUnkindledQueen
Summary: After Kirsty Cotton passes, her daughter inherits her family's dark history with the Cenobites. The embittered and lonely daughter of the great nemesis of hell finds herself caught in a web of fatal attraction, murder and sadism.
Relationships: Pinhead (Hellraiser)/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 11





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> "The flesh endures the storms of the present alone, the mind those of the past and future as well as the present."
> 
> -Epicurus
> 
> "Do not bite at the bait of pleasure, till you know there is no hook beneath it."
> 
> -Thomas Jefferson

~O~

Within the darkness of the stone walls that went on forever, there came a blood-curdling cacophony; the high - pitched squealing of winches that lacked any form of oil, the rasping of hooks and razors being sharpened and worse, the home of tormented souls. Above the massive catwalks, dominating the huge space, lurked the very master of the labyrinth.

The great God of Flesh, Desire and Order, Leviathan; a monumentally huge, white, multi - faceted diamond, spinning on its own axis, entirely unsupported by any physical means, above its territory. Apart from its very immensity, the most unsettling thing about Leviathan had been the beams of black light that flashed out from the corners of all its many facets. Due to the fast spinning of the master, the beams shot and swooped around the chamber, like a negative laser display of dazzling complexity.

Eerie sounds echoed throughout the corridors, magnified to this specific point.

The sound of Leviathan's breath.

Standing before the God were the Cenobites Balberith and the Female Cenobite known by her human name, Nikoletta.

Balberith was an elderly Cenobite who had large circular glasses that were tightly stitched to her face and pointed teeth. She commonly carried around a book made out of human flesh, due to her love of reading and her job as Hell's Librarian. She was honored and loved by many other cenobites, including Pinhead. Unlike other Cenobites she did not wear a leather bound suit, but instead wore a black dress. Of course, she was also one of few Cenobites to have hair, despite the gray tone to it.

"They just don't make them like they used to..." the older Cenobite murmured, dismay in her voice.

"No. They still have much to learn..." Nikoletta replied, her eyes catching a side glimpse of the younger, fresh group of new recruits who were piling into the Leviathan's circle.

Two Cenobites had started in on verbal argument; the Pistonhead Cenobite formerly known as J.P. Monroe. As his name implied, he had two pistons put through his head which were constantly moving back and forth. Hunger was a Cenobite with pale blue skin, bald and a tight leather, spike-covered suit that clung to his dangerously skinny body. His mouth was outstretched, much like Chatterer's and he had many sharp and pointed teeth. Hunger also had large bulbous, but threatening eyes and he wore white gloves.

"Move out of my way, bone boy or I'll plow ya'!" Pistonhead snarled.

Hunger's fat gaze darkened and he pointed a jagged finger at Pistonhead's chest. "Call me that again, wretch and I will make a jacket from your hide!"

Pistonhead laughed and withdrew a night stick from his belt, eager to engage in a long - desired fight. "Bring it on!"

Nikoletta and Balberith sighed with dismay at the sight. Oh the young ones were always trouble...

"Enough!"

The command had come from the very Lord of Pain himself, Xipe Totec, or as he was referred to by many of his victims, Pinhead. It was a name that meant little to him.

He was strolling up to the two Cenobites and they retreated meekly from his sight when he stared harshly down at them with his pitiless black gaze. It was a look meant to chill the remaining fluid in their bodies, but a chiding one much like the way a father would chastise his children for disobedience.

Moving past them, Pinhead faced the Lord of the Labyrinth and dropped onto two knees, raising his thumbs and forefinger together to his forehead in a peculiar salute or tribute to the God before him.

"My lord...you have summoned me?"

The Leviathan was silent, turning, ever so quickly. Finally, a single female Cenobite among the group began to choke and spasm and those surrounding her backed away quickly with amazement as Leviathan took control of the being, speaking through her in a tongue meant only for their ears. It was metallic almost, blended in with the female Cenobite's voice as well as the voice of the Lord of the Labyrinth. When He spoke, every Cenobite shuddered in delight and fear.

"MY CHILDREN, HEED MY WORDS. I BEAR NEWS FOR YOU ALL. THE HUMAN KNOWN AS KIRSTY COTTON IS DEAD."

Pinhead's great immobile brow puckered at the news. His great nemesis and worthy adversary was dead? How was this so? The other Cenobites were familiar with the name, but not the deeds of the woman.

"My lord...how has this come to pass?" he asked, choosing his words carefully. He always spoke with great care when it came to his master.

The possessed Cenobite turned to him. "HER HEART WAS WEAK, MY SON. AS HUMANITY OFTEN IS. BUT...SOMETHING ELSE...INTRIGUED ME. HER OFFSPRING...SHE HAS BEEN MENTIONED IN THE DICTIONNAIRE INFERNAL..."

The Cenobites reacted with murmurs of disbelief and confusion. Since when was Leviathan intrigued with a human? And since when was a human mentioned in one of their tomes? Pinhead seemed extremely fascinated with this news. A new Cotton meant a new toy to play with. Ahh, he was looking forward to unleashing his revenge on the family member who had humiliated him all of these years. If he couldn't have Kirsty, then he would take her precious daughter.

The possessed Cenobite looked over at Balberith. "SHOW THEM."

Immediately, Balberith summoned up the book that the Leviathan spoke of; it had the face of a human man stretched over the binding and the hair kept the book tightly together. She quickly found her needed page and sure enough, there it was.

"Ah yes, Alice Cotton," she read, "22 years, 11 months, 27 days, 12 hours, 28 minutes and 30 seconds old. She is the only Cotton daughter to have been born after Kirsty Cotton died of a car crash where she was sliced open at the chest from the glass of her vehicle. Her heart gave out 29 hours, 14 minutes and 10 seconds later. Alice Cotton is to inherit her mother's fortune in 7 days, 4 hours, 17 minutes and 60 seconds."

"My lord?" Nikoletta said, carefully, interrupting Balberith before she could continue, "What purpose would this human serve us?"

"I FORESEE GREAT THINGS WITH THE HUMAN AS WELL AS WITH ... YOU ... MY SON." The gaze of the Cenobite landed onto Pinhead. "YOU MUST LET HER COME TO ME. SHE WILL HAVE MUCH TO LEARN."

"And if she refuses, my lord?" Pinhead inquired.

"SHE WILL NOT REFUSE. TRUST ME, MY SON. ONCE SHE LOSES HER WILL TO REMAIN MORTAL, SHE WILL COME TO US...IN TIME."

O

"Alice?"

"Alice."

"ALICE!"

The twenty-two year old Alice Cotton was lying with her head on the desk of her house office, sleeping soundly.

The large and spacious room suggested that even if this was a woman who was dissatisfied with her job, she was at least being paid enough to make it a bearable one. The room was very ordered and very neat with small, strange trinkets here and there. A few walls were taken up by a huge shelf unit packed with books, videos, and CDs. Alice Cotton was a born pack rat, but one who still managed to maintain cleanliness and order.

In some eerie way, she resembled her mother; the dark brown hair and young, almost innocent features. Her complexion was so translucently pale that it bespoke only the most rare and grudging familiarity with daylight. The only difference was in the eyes as she slowly awoke from her slumber. Instead of her mother's brown eyes, she had an almost dark, ocean blue. But there was something else there, too. Perpetual sadness.

"Alice, get up!"

Alice grumbled and lifted her head slowly and with much effort, looking up dazedly to her best friend and fellow co-worker Katie Daniels. She was twenty-one years old, beautiful and outgoing. Her hair was short, blonde and her eyes a pretty shade of green.

They'd grown up together, gone to the same school and went through college. Katie had been there for Alice through the good and the bad.

"What?" Alice grumbled, sleepily.

"Your going to be late!" Katie cried, "You're going to be late for the reading of your mom's will! Get up. NOW!"

Alice looked over at a hanging wall clock that read: 7:58 A.M. She gritted her teeth angrily and smacked her palms loudly on the desk.

"Goddammit, I'm LATE!" she shouted, jumping to her feet and rushing out through the front door.

Katie grabbed the keys on the desk that Alice had forgotten and quickly followed her. "Alice! Keys!"

The younger woman stood on the driver's side of her Mustang Convertible and she caught them as Katie tossed them at her.

O

The two women drove down the streets into the city of Detroit and during the entire time, Katie was helping Alice by brushing her hair as she drove, applied makeup and straightened up her shirt so that she would look somewhat presentable. Alice sighed angrily at the traffic blockade and honked her horn a few times.

"I don't need this," she snapped, "I DON'T NEED THIS! Come on!"

"Calm down, Alice," Katie encouraged, "We'll get there."

Unfortunately, it took over a half of an hour to get through the traffic block and to the law office building. Both women had to run into the elevators where they ran to find Alice's lawyer. She ignored the unhappy looks of those behind desks; little office cubicles scattered around a converted loft space. She clearly had quite a bit of practice at ignoring disapproving stares from others. They were pointing and whispering as the two women walked by.

They walked into the office of Barry H. Miller.

He was a serious sort of guy of twenty-eight years with diminishing black hair and hard, brown eyes. As he studied the two women sitting in front of his desk, he removed a folder from his desk and a lock box containing what Alice could guess were a few items.

"You know, Miss Cotton, I normally don't condone tardiness of any kind, but you caught me at a good day." he told her.

The two woman glanced skeptically at one another. They caught him on a good day? They really didn't want to see bad then. Barry regarded Alice with dismay and even criticism. Katie knew that he was going to say something to piss Alice off.

"Your mother took her will seriously. You don't seem to." he said.

Alice glared at him. "Eat me, Barry."

He scoffed and shook his head. "It's exactly that lack of respect for authority that got you fired from your past five jobs," he snapped, "Now, I am going to read what your mother left you. So please try and control your tongue until I am finished so I won't have to look at you again."

Alice smiled tartly in reply. The feeling was sure as hell mutual between them both. How her mother put up with an asshole like Barry Miller was beyond her. "Good."

Barry arched his brows at her and murmured with displeasure before he opened the folder and began to read from Kirsty's will. "'I, Kirsty Cotton do leave my entire estate to my daughter, Alice Jane Cotton. She is to have unfettered access to all assets in the amount of five hundred thousand dollars'."

Alice's brows went up with surprise and Katie patted her shoulder. "Hey! Congratulations!"

Barry handed Alice the lock box as well as the keys to it. "This belongs to you as well."

Alice ran her fingers over the cool metal and frowned thoughtfully. There were a few dents and imperfections in it, including some smudges. Alice couldn't resist her curiosity, but at the same time, the familiar feeling of bitterness came back. Why would her mother leave her even this?

When she returned home, Alice spent almost five minutes in her living room just staring at the lock box. Katie was on her edge with curiosity and she stared at her friend anxiously with a broad grin on her face. "Aren't you going to open it, Alice?"

Alice nodded. "Gimme a minute."

Katie groaned good-naturedly and took the keys from the table, handing them to her. "Come on!" she urged, "You wanna open it. You know you do!"

Alice smiled at her friend and took the keys. "Alright, alright," she said, chuckling as she unlocked the small padlock, "Good God, you're so anxious. It's probably nothing anyway. Maybe a pack of cigarettes and a stick of gum."

She opened the box and frowned.

"What is it?" Katie asked.

Alice removed several small items from the lock box, a DVD disk, a few photos and book clippings, and a golden puzzle box. The Lament Configuration. Katie picked it up and studied it with fascination, running her fingers along its aged edges.

"Whoa, what is this?" she asked, amazed.

Alice took it from her hands almost immediately. "It's garbage, that's what." She walked toward a window, opened it and Katie started to protest as her friend reared back and prepared to throw the puzzle box out the window.

"Alice, come on!" she insisted, "Don't do- Oh, you did..."

Alice took a spot down on the sofa chair and switched her television on. "My mother practically obsessed over that goddamn box and she leaves it for me?" she groused, "Christ, she never ceases to piss me off, even in death!"

Katie sighed with pity and took a spot on the adjacent chair. "Alice, you know perfectly well that she didn't hate you."

Alice smiled sarcastically and even though she tried to sound like it didn't matter, it really hurt her more than she wanted people to believe. "Nah. She didn't hate me, Katie," she sneered, flipping channels with her universal remote, "Hate takes effort, you know. Mom was too busy obsessing over demons, witchcraft and all that other bullshit. She could have at least called me or showed up for my college graduation, but her excuse was," she raised her voice in a crude falsetto, "'Sorry, honey, I was booked up at the library'!"

Katie smiled at her and shrugged one shoulder. "Well, come on, she left you all that money..."

"Probably as a guilt card..." Alice muttered. She found a channel; a movie. It looked like a crime flick.

"Guilt card or not, you got money now."

A small laugh. "Yeah, you're right."

Outside, the puzzle box rested in the grass of the sidewalk. A man walked on by, whistling a casual tune to himself. He was young and quite handsome in appearance, the eye catcher that every woman wanted.

He was wearing a pair of Barker Blacks, an unbuttoned suit and shirt, a Bogart style hat and a thin brown jacket. He was a walking and talking big spender with a bit of a rugged mean streak to him.

Most of his associates knew him as Leonard "Leo" Belasco.

Once he noticed the box lying there, he stopped and cocked his head, bending down to pick it up. He studied it in his hands for a few moments before glancing up at the house where it had fallen from. After a moment of pondering, he smiled with pleasure at his find and strolled away.

Leo arrived at the Motorcity Grand Hotel, home of the casino, drug users, and prostitutes of every size and shape. This was just Leo's little piece of paradise, the tower of sin. He didn't mind dealing with the cops about it either; after all, he paid them to stay off of his tail.

Two burly men at the front doors greeted him.

"Good evening, Mr. Belasco."

Leo smiled at them before making his way casually down the rows of gamblers, machines and tables full of smoking, eager individuals bargaining their very souls away. He approached a smoky, over decorated table where a few women and more sharply-dressed hoods were, in the middle of playing a friendly game of poker, smoking cigarettes and drinking from bottles of whiskey. Several of the women smiled at Leo when he took a spot at the table with them.

"Leo," one of the hoods said, chuckling between his cigarette, "You look beautiful tonight, my friend. Welcome home."

"How was the prowl there, tiger?" another hood asked. He was much older, possibly in his late fifties. Leo didn't know and he didn't ask.

Leo shrugged his shoulder. "Ah, I came up short tonight."

The first hood who had spoken grinned and gestured to two of the woman underneath his arm. "You won't in a few hours, buddy," he told him, "I've been tellin' these ladies about ya'. About how you're into the real freaky shit."

Leo smiled at the two women, who grinned seductively at him. They seemed intrigued by the idea of this "bad boy" being somewhat freaky with them.

"Do you girls like that kind of thing?" he asked them.

"Oh yes..." one of them whispered, softly. She was slightly tanned and dressed in a skimpy black dress and blouse. She had long, red boots and a thick, red belt.

"My sister and I are good for anything you want us to do." This one was somewhat smaller than her companion, dressed in a red, spaghetti-strap dress that was cut so high, she was clearly wearing a black-lace thong. She wore long, high-heeled black boots and massive earrings.

Leo's brows went up and his mouth turned upwards in a cheeky smirk. He couldn't believe his good luck. Now that he looked at them hard enough, there was a noticeable similarity between the two women sitting there. "Sisters? You're sisters?"

"That's right."

The hoods around the table laughed with glee at their boss' fortune and soon-to-be relaxation. "Have fun, Leo!" one of them called as Leo disappeared down the hallways with the ladies in his arms. He looked back at them, winking once before he turned a corner.

O

Leo's private room was precisely the size for a guy of his ego and it appeared to be a very expensive suite. His room looked like an annex to his casino- colorful walls, a few personal solitaire machines, artworks of elegant cruelty and even beauty.

And in the very center of the room was Leo's grand bed where the two women were naked, lying beside him like two contented lioness. Leo was smiling with pride and he took out a cigarette from a wooden case beside the bed and the Lament Configuration rested there with various alcohol bottles surrounding it.

"You ladies certainly know how to have fun." he told them.

Despite what many would see him as - murderer, wealthy asshole and such - Leo was the kind of guy who enjoyed the women and did what he could to make them happy, even if they were with him for a short time. He even went out of his way to learn their names, which were Candice and Mabel.

They were clever and somewhat masochistic in their work. Leo enjoyed it because not many women in the city were in to that kind of thing. It was nice when he could have some of his darker interests teased.

"How much should I give you gals tonight?" he asked.

Candice grinned and rubbed his chest with one hand. "Whatever you feel we deserve."

Mabel's eyes landed on the puzzle box and she carefully picked it up. "What's this, Leo?" she asked.

He chuckled as he took the box and sat up, the two women joining him. "Not too sure, but I found it on one of my walks," he told her, "It's kind of weird, but hey, it looks old. Might fetch me a decent penny on the market downtown. There's a lot of people in this city who pay big bucks for old shit."

"Does it do anything?" Candice asked him, taking the box and rubbing her fingers along the edges.

Suddenly, as she toyed with it, the box made a clicking sound. She smiled and looked at the other two. Leo looked somewhat impressed and fascinated while Mabel watched in pleasure as Candice slid a small part of the box open.

Then, there was a gentle twinkling tune and a few of the trinkets in the room seemed to move on their own, but the three did not notice such a sight. Candice had opened more of the box. The tune within sounded much more complex now. Somewhere a bell had started to ring as she worked the final mechanism of the box.

Leo laughed and took it, placing it at the side of the bed. "Ahh, stop playing with that thing," he encouraged, with a sly fox-like grin that told of his coming arousal, "There's no use in wasting valuable time. We have all night, you know."

The two women forgot all about the box and giggled. As they began to fool around, the box slowly rolled away from the bed and into the bathroom where it began to unfurl and click on its own. Sparks of light flickered from it and shadows emerged from the darkness. All of this went by unnoticed by the lovers in the other room.

At the window of the suite, a raven-like head appeared, leering over at them. Mabel noticed it and she grinned. "Hey, hey, look at that!" she gasped, "There's a bird over there!"

Leo and Candice glanced over at the window and laughed at the sight of it. Their inhibitions were slightly off due to the alcohol, so they did not see what the creature TRULY was; a woman bearing the head of a raven, crouched down out on the fire escape with long, metal blades jutting out of her knuckles and the flesh of her back was split ope, stretched into the form of wings with wire and metal.

The outfit she was wearing was different from that of most Cenobites as well, being still forged from leather and resembled Pinhead's leather suit mixed with the outfit that could be worn by a pole dancer. Her fish-net stockings were not fish nets at all, rather razor wire that resembled it.

Leo smirked at the bird. "Go on, bird!" he told the creature, as it tilted its head to one side, "Get out of here! This ain't no peep show!"

"I think that it most certainly is..."

The voice came from the bathroom where Pinhead emerged. Along his side stood Butterball, Nikoletta and the Raven Cenobite slowly joined them. The sight of the demons standing there caused the three lovers to jolt in their bed, startled.

Pinhead surveyed the room, the scene before him and the terrified and awe- struck group looking back at him, his eyes catching sight of the objects of pleasure; the cattle prod, the leather straps... He almost smiled at the childishness of their methods for pleasure. Petty, simple and not much in the ways of pain.

"Jesus Christ!" Leo gasped.

Pinhead laughed softly at the commonly used exclamation from his prey. Ah, that line never got old with him. "Not even close."

Candice and Mabel started to jump for their clothes, but several hooked chains flew out from the shadows and yanked them from their goal, wrapping around their bodies and holding them tightly to the walls. They cried out in horror and pain, struggling for all that they could. Pinhead gave them a cold, pitiless smirk. Ah, young flesh. Young, supple flesh.

"Tell me, ladies," he told the women, "Do you enjoy pain? Enjoy inflicting it perhaps? Even more so, enjoy receiving it?"

The two bound women looked at each other. They didn't know how to speak to this powerful, terrifying being of hell. The question was almost loaded somehow, they just knew it. He was going to hurt them and they had a feeling that it would be much worse than anything that they had ever experienced.

Pinhead's grin broadened. "Then you are going to enjoy this."

Just as they opened their mouths to scream, two deadly hooks lashed out and sliced into their tongues, preventing them from uttering a single sound. Nikoletta smiled at the noises they made and Butterball licked his lips hungrily.

Leo made a dive for his drawer and pulled out a custom 9mm Handgun, leveling it at the demons. "Get the fuck out of here!" he spat, "I don't know what the hell you are, but I suggest you let them go, get outta here before things get real messy!"

Pinhead showed no particular interest with the man's less-than-intimidating threats. "I suggest that you curb your tongue, human."

Leo blinked in disbelief and two more chains flew out from the shadows, hooking both sides of his mouth and stretching them away from each other, holding him to the bed with his back bowed forward in a painful position. Blood gushed from the hooked flesh and the two women along his side whimpered with agony. Their cheeks were flush with tears and pain, the hooks in their tongues nearly ripping the flesh in two.

"You have friends waiting for you in hell, Leonard," Pinhead told the groaning man. He smiled as the man visibly choked and wavered at the knowledge that the creature knew. "Oh yes...I understand. When there is something we desire so strongly, we must take it by any means necessary, no matter who is hurt in the process. Oh but you...you made absolutely sure that you escaped so freely from your sins. You paid countless authorities to keep them quiet, to keep the truth from slipping out, but in the end, it always comes back to haunt you, Leonard. Always."

Leo groaned in agony and when he tried to reach up to take the hooks from his face, two more chains lashed out and stabbed into his palms, holding them to the bed as he uttered as much of a scream as he could.

"P'ase ... P'ase ... 'et 'e go!" he begged.

Pinhead smiled at him. "I will...dear boy," he said, "I will."

And the Dark Prince of Pain's idea of 'letting him go' was simply allowing for the chains to pull him apart in various different directions, his scream of mortal pain silenced and followed up by the wet, sticky sounds of blood and flesh flying and hitting the walls.

The watching women uttered muffled screams of horror and despair at the sight of their lover being torn to pieces. Pinhead turned to them and they immediately hushed themselves as he practically towered over them, a dark and blood-thirsty shadow. He gave them a smile before glancing over at Butterball. It had been some time since his lesser subordinate enjoyed female meat and he had done quite well in their past mission. Besides, Pinhead had his attention focused on other matter than indulging merely in trivial pleasures.

"Finish them." he commanded.

Butterball seemed absolutely delighted with the 'gift' and uttered a low grunt before looming over the women. He seemed to snicker dryly at them before removing a meat cleaver from his belt. Their eyes grew wide with muffled shrieks.

Pinhead had turned his gaze out the window and Nikoletta stared up at him curiously, tuning out the sounds of sliced flesh and death screams. "My lord, what is your command?"

"Find Alice Cotton," Pinhead told her, his black gaze searching the city before him, "She is out there. We will find her."

Suddenly, there came a swift knock at the door and the Cenobites turned toward it. "MR. BELASCO! I have the fish that you ordered!"

Ah, room service.

Pinhead spoke in a perfect imitation of Leo's voice. "Come in and leave it on the bed!"

After a brief pause, the doors opened and a man dressed in a black suit and tie walked in wheeling in a cart with a covered dish. He was young, attractive and handsome, but a rather timid fellow who did whatever he was told.

"Mr. Belasco, I hope you like it," he said, in the darkness of the room, "The chef's made it special."

"Thank you," came Pinhead's response from the bathroom, "I like it quite a lot."

Just as the man whirled to see who it was, a hook came flying at him before he could scream.

After hours of nothing but silence, the man stepped out of the suite once more, smiling and in no harm at all. But there was something different about him this time. His eyes were as hard as stone, his features grim and powerful. He cracked his neck and a demonic gruff sound escaped his lips. After popping his fingers into place, Pinhead's voice emerged from his lips and he sounded absolutely cunning this time.

"A little skin will take me a long way..." he murmured, chuckling cruelly before walking down the hallways as if nothing was wrong.


	2. Part Two

~O~

Pinhead surveyed the passing humans through the skin and eyes of the flesh that he wore. How fascinating it was...

They knew nothing of the world below the Deep or the eyes of Order that watched them. They didn't know that this world did not belong to them, but to him and the Leviathan. He smiled and took a deep breath. Oh, when they would soon learn...what pleasures and torments awaited each and every one!

Something tugged at his jacket and he glanced down at a young girl who stared up at him with a mixture of confusion and worry. "Excuse me, mister?" she said, "You're bleeding."

Pinhead's human hand slowly reached up to touch the place she indicated on her own face; her ear and he came back with a small finger full of blood. Damn! This flesh was far too small for him! He would need a new "change of face" and quickly before someone began to notice. The mission was to locate Alice without creating a chaotic mess. Those were the worlds of the Leviathan and Pinhead would definitely keep to that.

"Ah yes, thank you, child," he told her, in a perfect imitation of the human's voice.

She smiled sweetly and Pinhead gestured with one hand. "Run along."

The girl giggled and scampered away to find her mother. Pinhead watched the scene with disgust. Such petty childishness and despicable affection. Although it would be intriguing to raise one so young through his ways and appetites. It had been a while since he had enslaved a child. Perhaps another day.

He cast his gaze toward Barry Miller as the man was walking into his building with a cellphone cradled to his ear. He was talking to someone and his conversation immediately reached Pinhead's ears. He blocked out all other sounds save for this man's words. This was Barry H. Miller...a lawyer of sorts who knew Alice. Pinhead didn't have to be in his vicinity to know the man's identity and his profession. He would help him get close to the Cotton child.

"...look, her mother never really talked about WHAT she was doing!" Barry protested. He rolled his eyes, stopping at the front door and holding it open for a fellow employee, "...I don't fucking know! She was as crazy as Alice! You've heard the stories! Christ, everyone in this goddamn city knows about it!"

Pinhead smiled inwardly. Did they? That made things so much more easier for him. He walked casually across the street toward the building. Several bums were lying in the alleyway of the building and their eyes locked onto the "man" making his way over. They studied him curiously, with a bizarre mixture of fear and awe. Pinhead smiled right back at them and even winked slyly before he disappeared into the building. It was almost a cute gesture and when he stepped inside, he resumed his normal, deadly blankness once more.

His eyes searched through the desks, windows and open doors for the departed man and a woman behind the desk reached out and waved at him.

"Excuse me, sir?" she said, "Can I help you?"

Pinhead lowered his powerful gaze to her and smiled sweetly. "Yes, you can," he told her, "I am looking to speak with Barry Miller."

The woman behind the desk arched a thin eyebrow as if he had made a strange request. Pinhead knew every secret of this woman; Valerie Whitman a woman with quite a few dirty little stories to tell. She had cheated on her husband with several of her co - workers here, and the arrogance was just as stunning as ever. Young Valerie believed that she would never be caught, that her trail had been wiped clean from the world.

"Do you have an appointment, sir?" she asked, skeptically.

"No. But I am an old friend of the Cotton family," he told her, smiling a thin, oily smile. "I was told that Mr. Miller could tell me how I might meet Miss. Alice Cotton."

Valerie chuckled sarcastically and she stood up from her spot, starting to dial a number. Pinhead could tell right away that she was trying to bring security to their position and send him away from his task. They always made it so difficult...

"Yeah, I bet you do," she told him, sneering in her words, "Just like all the other assholes that come in here and try to give that poor girl a hard time."

Just as she waited for someone to pick up, Pinhead's human finger pressed the hang - up button and she stared at him in disbelief. He just smiled down at her. "Oh come now, Valerie," he purred, "We don't want trouble, now do we?"

The woman stared up at him with caution and the atmosphere between the two suddenly became very uncomfortable. She wasn't sure why, but this guy was different from the other assholes who tried to give Alice Cotton a hard time, just because of her looney mother.

Pinhead leaned in dangerously close to her. His nose nearly touched hers and he smiled, but there was not a single shred of amusement there this time.

"We don't want word of your little fiasco getting out, now do we?" he purred, in a deliciously masculine purr, as if he was tempting her greatest sin, challenging her in some way to reveal herself to everyone around them, "Certainly your husband would love to know."

Valerie's face fell with dawning horror as he revealed her darkest, deepest secret. "H-How ... ?"

Pinhead reached up, took the phone and held it up to her ear. "Please...tell Mr. Miller that I wish to speak with him."

Valerie nodded her head dumbly, feebly dialing in Barry's number, her eyes never leaving the smiling face of the man before her.

At his office, Barry picked up the phone with frustration and irritation. "What do you want now, Valerie?" he barked.

Valerie spoke her words and they sounded hypnotized, haunted even. "There's a gentleman who wants to speak with you, sir..."

_"Tell him to come back tomorrow!"_

Pinhead grinned at the order and Valerie continued. "He says that it is urgent. It's about Alice."

At his desk, Barry rolled his eyes with disgust. Oh another shithead who thought he deserved a chance at tormenting the woman. Christ, didn't these freaks ever give up? He didn't think much of her, but not even she deserved this kind of crap.

"Fine! Send him up!"

O

Pinhead entered the office room and Barry barely acknowledged him. He just gestured with a spin of his hand in the air and he began to finger through several folders, checking for the ones that he needed. "Make it quick," he snapped, "I have a meeting at six!"

"I wish to speak with Alice Cotton," Pinhead spoke, matter-of-factually, "I humbly request that you give me her phone number."

Barry laughed mockingly. "Sure! You want that gift wrapped in a nice, pretty envelope, too?"

Pinhead's smile diminished and he set his teeth behind his closed mouth. Barry realized how serious he was and he stopped laughing, long enough to arch a skeptical brow at him.

"Now buddy, you know that I can't just give out my client's numbers." He chuckled again and shook his head. "You got a lot of balls asking for that kind of information. You ain't like the other shits who try to make that girl's life a living hell."

How entirely appropriate... the demon thought.

Pinhead did not share the man's amusement in the least. He tilted his head to one side and Barry now noticed the bleeding wound in his ear. Was this guy a drug user? Maybe that was why he came in here asking for her number.

"Holy shit...!" he gasped.

Pinhead's eyes darkened and a peculiar hissing sound filled the air, like the cold, chilling wind of hell creeping into the room. Barry slowly stood up from his chair and looked around cautiously, trying to find the source of the sound. He looked over at the man who bled from his ear, his eyes closed as if he was focusing on the wind itself.

When Pinhead opened his eyes again, they were the black, endless pools once more. It was then that the lawyer knew he was dealing with something unnatural and unholy. He shook his head rapidly, horrified gasping sounds echoing out from his parted mouth as he backed slowly away.

"Shit..." Barry gasped, "Shit!"

He ran for his door, but a heavy chain shot out from nowhere and wrapped around his head, muffling his screams and yanking him off of his feet. Several more chains joined the other and they began to hook him, stretching his flesh in the same gruesome manner as Leo had suffered.

Pinhead smiled and he shed the flesh that he was wearing like a damp, leather jacket. Barry's eyes widened and his wail of horror was silenced by the thick, cold chain.

"You should truly push the buttons with greater care, Barry," Pinhead told him, "You do not know what horrors you may stir."

Barry's eyes searched wildly for a means of getting help and the demon followed his movements with a chuckle of contempt. "Your identity will help me get that much closer to Alice Cotton. And your reward for your...'cooperation' will be..."

Barry whimpered with pain and he looked up at Pinhead's unforgiving face.

"...endless pain."

A strange and sticky ripping noise filled the air. It took Barry only two seconds to realize that it was his own flesh being ripped apart. He mewled in pain and his body shuddered, blood forming a wicked crimson pool at his feet.

Pinhead just watched this, his face calm, and intrigued all at once. He showed no particular pleasure at what he was doing but only a fascinated concentration as Barry was ripped of his flesh at the spine and forward until all that was left was a screaming, blood - dripping muscled man. His skin crumpled to the floor and Pinhead silenced him with a chain that impaled him cleanly through his head.

After a long, silent moment with occasional slurping sounds, the blood on the floor began to become absorbed into the wood like a sponge and Pinhead exhaled with a very unattractive collection of hisses and groans. He stepped out from the shadows, dressed in Barry's flesh. After a moment of stretching his arms and cracking his neck to become accustomed to the feel, he made a satisfied murmur and moved around the desk to a phone book that Barry had kept every personal number in.

The handwriting was sloppy, but not illegible. Pity. A man of such tastes in order should have had somewhat of a decent sense of the pen. There were many names, presumably clients and personal references. Pinhead searched under C and A and finally, there was Alice Cotton's number and street address right there. He smiled with satisfaction.

"Got you."

O

Alice couldn't really think of anything better to do on her day off of work than clean house. She blared her country music soundtracks up as high as she could to tune out any potential phone callers or requests to come in to work. The songs of Toby Keith and his currently playing beat "God Love Her" slowly got the girl into her cleaning with its slight upbeat tune.

She struggled to reach a few spider webs on the ceiling. She swiped several times and grimaced, nearly losing her balance on the ladder.

"Whoa-whoa-whoa!" she grunted.

Finally, there was a loud, rather irritating knock at the door. Alice rolled her eyes and turned the radio down after nearly falling from her ladder. Whoever was bothering her right now was about to get a serious ass kicking with the broom.

"Alright, alright, asshole," she groused, to herself as she walked down the stairs to the front door and she raised her voice for the occupant outside to hear it, "I'm sure it's not that important!"

She threw the front door open, seeing Barry standing there with a cheery smile on her face. She sighed and leaned against the doorway with dismay, misinterpreting that smile and the true being within that skin. "Oh, Barry ... Just the guy I wanted to talk to. I can see you're drunk."

Pinhead almost laughed at the sight but he was amazed even more. This girl was the offspring of the Kirsty Cotton who had escaped him, eluded him all of these years? She was the spitting image of her mother, but there was also her father there too...

Oh he couldn't wait to get his hands into her when he dragged her screaming and begging to hell. There would be no bargains, no schemes, no nothing. All that he will have was this girl, this blood and flesh in his hands alone.

Discipline, he told himself, You have had many souls in the past. This one will be no different.

Alice raised her brows in a very coy and almost cocky way. There was definitely spirit there. A broken one as far as the demon could see. Well, perhaps not broken, but...a soul in pain. She was very bitter. Her eyes broadcasted it as plain as day. This would be pretty easy after all. The Leviathan would not have to wait for much longer.

"Barry, just because you're my lawyer doesn't mean I won't put this broom in a very nasty place if you try anything."

Pinhead chuckled at that and shook his head, feigning amazement. He had to stay in character for a few more moments. "Oh no, no," he told her, "Nothing like that. I just stopped by because I have to talk to you." He watched a confused look cross her face. "Can I come in?"

Alice wasn't as dimwitted as he took her for. She looked somewhat suspicious, like a beaten dog just fresh out of a hostile environment that would sooner snap at the hand than sniff it. She glanced over her shoulder for a moment, as if she was checking for the sight of the phone before stepping aside and sweeping her hand out.

"Sure..." she said, her tone cautious.

"Thank you." Pinhead stepped into the house and his eyes wandered so that he could scan the realm of this creature. Simple, plain and a few oddities here and there.

Oh but the air... The air stank of despair and bitterness. He could taste it on the very tip of his tongue. This child sat alone, basting herself in such emotional torment. He smirked inwardly and his thoughts went to the girl screaming in the darkness of hell.

_If you feel that you have suffered now...you have yet to know the REAL meaning of pain, child!_

"Uh, sit down," Alice said, gesturing to her couch. She seemed uncomfortable, as if she wasn't used to anyone other than her dear friend Katie being considerate to her.

Pinhead took a seat in her chair instead and crossed his legs. Alice took a spot at the couch away from him, shrugging a shoulder and feeling no need to argue with him. She crossed her legs and folded her arms across her chest. It was a gesture that made such a creature feel somewhat more comfortable with herself.

"What do you want, Barry?" she asked.

The demon in human skin smiled at her and spoke in the kindest voice he could. The kind of voice that a woman like Alice would crave and eat up. The kind that would make her drop her guard and do whatever it was that he wanted. "I wanted to apologize for the way that I have treated you."

Alice looked utterly surprised and finally, she scoffed mockingly. "You want to apologize?" She laughed loudly. "Did you get hit by a truck on the way over here?"

Tell her what she wants to hear...strike at the very heart...

Pinhead just continued to smile a friendly smile and he could tell by the glimmering in her eyes that she was slowly starting to eat it up regardless of whether or not she believed the words that "this man" was saying.

Alice could tell that he was serious and she slowly began to get angry now. If he was trying to trick her or something, it wouldn't work. "What, am I supposed to believe that you've had some epiphany? That all of the sudden, everything is going to be different?"

"You can choose to believe what you want to believe," Pinhead answered, in the man's voice, "The important thing is that I came here to apologize to you. I was hoping that we could find a common ground, if that is something you are interested in."

Alice frowned and straightened up in her spot, studying the man with a suspicious and angry scowl. "What's different about you?"

Pinhead smiled at her and leaned back in the chair. He glanced around the room for a moment to collect his thoughts before he looked back at her with a certain amusement in his words. "You could say that I had a 'change of face'."

"'Change of face'..." Alice repeated, in disbelief, "Right..."

Pinhead leaned forward in his chair and he arched a single brow. "Don't you want to know why your mother left so much money in your name?" he asked her, slyly, "Don't you want to know why she left you such bizarre trinkets and the DVD which you have YET to watch?"

Alice's eyes suddenly darkened. "How did you know about that?"

Pinhead continued to smile and he leaned back in his chair. "I'll tell you what," he told her, "Why don't we spend tomorrow talking about it? I'll take you to dinner and fill you in on everything you need to know. Something simple."

Alice laughed, but she didn't look entirely against the idea. She looked confused still, but actually quite curious about being able to learn the reasons behind her mother's actions. "I can't do that, Barry. I have to go in to work tomorrow."

Pinhead took out Barry's cellphone and he began to dial the number for her boss. "Well...perhaps we can arrange something..."

Alice laughed and shook her head, reaching out to stop him. "Barry, no!"

Pinhead smiled at her, made a shushing gesture and he turned around in his chair, holding the phone to his ear. "Hello? I would like to speak to Mr. Jameson Price, please? Ahh! Mr. Jameson! Good to speak with you! Um, I'm afraid that my client, Alice Cotton has an appointment with me tomorrow...Yes, I am aware that she has to work that day...Important? Oh yes...No, I don't believe that it is any concern of yours, but know that she will be in the following day...Yes, thank you very much..."

Alice shook her head and uttered a bark of laughter as Pinhead hung up and turned to face her. "I can't believe what you just did."

He stood up and winked at her. "Believe it. So...how does dinner at the Tribute sound?"

Alice shrugged her shoulders. She didn't know how to react to Barry's sudden kindness and consideration to her feelings. Something was off about him, her instincts just knew it. There would be no reason for Barry to want to talk to her.

"Did someone put you up to this?" she asked, skeptically.

"Not at all. I am your lawyer after all," he answered, "It would be beneficial for both parties if we were to...extend an Olive Branch, so to speak."

Alice's brows shot up and she stood from her spot. He slowly followed after her. "Uh...what time?"

"7:30."

Alice mumbled something that sounded an awful lot like, "this is weird" before she looked up at him with a half-doubtful smile. "Alright, Barry, I'll toss you a bone."

"That's great! I'll see you then." He turned and walked to the front door, giving her one last parting smile before he disappeared outside where the smile slowly melted away from his face into a wicked scowl.

His normal, demonic voice emerged from his lips. "See you there, Cotton..."

O

"I'm not going!"

Alice sat at the edge of her bed, rubbing her forehead with dismay as Katie and her best friend's boyfriend, Lucas Fischer were going through her closet for a proper dinner outfit like a pack of rabid wolves hungry for the scavenge. Lucas poked his head out from the expansive closet after the two were in the middle of muffled conversation.

Lucas was a pretty decent guy. He was bisexual and proud; blue-eyed, handsome, outgoing and very easy to get along with. Alice had also known him since they were kids.

"Alice, do these boots fit you anymore?" he asked, holding out a pair of high-heeled boots.

Alice sighed, her eyes raised to heaven. "No."

Katie quickly tossed a pair of dress pants onto the bed and frowned at Alice skeptically. "Come on, don't you want to know why your mother did what she did?" she asked, "After all, you talk about it quite a lot. It'd be good for you."

Alice groaned in frustration and stood up. "Yeah, but this is Barry we're talking about here. Two hours with him...me...at the Tribute...alone..." She trailed off and thought about that for a moment before she groaned again when she realized what a boring situation that would be.

"Don't worry," Katie laughed, trying hard not to, but she was no good. The idea of seeing Alice alone with Barry Miller was almost too much. "It's not so bad."

"Shut up..."

Alice relaxed and she shook her head. There was no reason whatsoever for Barry to make a fool out of her. She was going to call, cancel and just go to work late. "I'm just going to cancel this date anyway, so there's no reason..."

Katie laughed and shook her head. "No you're not!" She took her friend's arm even against her angry protests. "Look, you always chicken out at the last minute when it comes to everything you do. So just go, listen to the asshole for two hours and then come home. I'll buy you something really heavy and then you can forget his face after a few glasses."

Now that didn't sound very bad. Alice cracked a small smile. "Sounds fun."

O

Pinhead was bored.

Sitting here in this lavished restaurant with the petty thoughts of the humans surrounding him did nothing to ease his impatience as he ran his finger over the rim of his wine glass, watching the red liquid swirling around inside of it.

Despite the Leviathan's orders, he still couldn't resist his disgust with the idea of a more...passive way to collect the girl. He was not Angelique. The Princess' motives were outdated and useless. But the Leviathan's word was Law. Law and Order. He wanted the girl this way. He wanted her to slowly break down until she had nothing left to live for in the human world. Until she was merely pain and ruin.

As he sat there, alone, he could hear many, many thoughts rushing rather rampantly through his head. Most of them were utterly sinful beyond all measure. The men pondered over how well or in what condition they would take the women they have brought here. Not much had changed since the Dark Ages.

Ah, those were quite the times.

They're like little swine, he thought, Eat and mate... Eat and mate...

He looked up and noticed that Alice was just entering the restaurant and a smile lit his face. The Hostess pointed to his table and Alice walked over. She was dressed in neat shoes and slacks, her blouse covered with a very tidy business jacket. My, she looked almost tasty with her flesh exposed to the world. So much untouched flesh to explore ...

"Hi..." she greeted, taking a spot across from him.

"Good evening, Alice," he answered, "I ordered the wine. I hope you do not mind."

Alice shook her head. _Be polite. It's only for two hours,_. "Not at all."

Pinhead smiled at her and he could feel the change in her thoughts. She wasn't fond of being here with him right now. She hated this man that he was posing as and only wanted to deal with him long enough to get the information that her tiny human mind craved.

"Well, perhaps we should begin," he told her, "Do you like fish? We're having fish for dinner."

Alice looked somewhat surprised by that. How did he know she liked fish? Barry and Alice had never really gotten involved on that kind of emotional level before. This was getting weird. Very weird. "Uh...yeah. Yeah, I do. Thanks."

He nodded and crossed his fingers against his chin, leaning forward with his eyes locked onto her. "Alright. What would you like to know, Alice?"

"What was my mom doing?' Alice asked, getting straight to the point, "She rambled on and on about demons, saving me from something. What did she tell you? I want to know everything. Everything down to the last second."

Pinhead stared at her with that same position. A grin slithered onto his lips and he was driven with the urge to just throw down the persona right now and show her himself.

_Ohhh, she wants to know EVERYTHING? If only I could tell her everything and she'd understand._

Instead, he leaned back with a casual sigh. "Ahh, Kirsty Cotton...your mother was a gem, Alice, quite the rarity," he told her, "We don't see many like her these days. They always give up so easily. But not your mother. No. She did whatever she could to protect you."

Alice frowned. There was a glimmer of pain that lingered briefly there in her eyes, but it disappeared just as quickly as it had come. "That's impossible, Barry... She didn't want a thing to do with me. Even when I was just a kid..."

"Oh now that is not true, Alice," Pinhead continued, "You were her world. Now why do you believe that she had no affection for her only daughter?"

Alice thought about her mother; Kirsty. Ever since she was a little girl, her mother had always been strange. She acted as if someone was going to kidnap her overnight or something. Sure, Alice knew that people would do that sort of thing, but she never understood why her mother always obsessed over it. And when she was older, she started talking about the "demons" of other worlds who would be out to get her unless she did something about it.

But besides the bad, there were those rare, fleeting moments when Alice and Kirsty did things together, mostly when she was a kid.

Alice had always enjoyed just sitting next to her and talking or going out to the park where she'd play with the kids or at least try to. Most of the children stayed away from her. Then there was that one day...that one day that made everything change between Alice and her mother.

"When you're a kid and don't understand anything..." Alice began, studying her empty wine glass, "you think when you grow up it will all make sense. Then when you grow up, you keep waiting for the day. You think it ever happens?"

Pinhead smiled at her and poured some wine into her glass. "Smart girl," he told her.

"There was this time...I was eight years old," Alice told him, taking a small, tentative drink of her wine, "I was playing near a puddle with some of my toys. I didn't like the stuff that girls played with. Mom always called me an oddball because I wasn't like little girls. Anyway, I was playing by myself, my mom sitting close by and watching me. A bigger kid came up to me. He must have been twelve years old as far as I could tell.

Well, my mom must have had her back turned for two minutes and the big kid pushed me into the puddle. I didn't know why. I was just a little girl. I wasn't too familiar with bullies. Most kids usually left me alone. Never could understand why."

A thoughtful look crossed the young woman's face, her brow puckering as she delved into her mind to seek out that fateful day. Pinhead watched her intently, looking for that sweet glimmer of pain once again. "The kid was huge, very scary looking. I remember feeling like I should have done something, but I was so confused. He laughed at me and said that the cops were gonna take me to the whacky shack just like they did my mother.

I didn't know what he was talking about. I ran to my mom and asked her why they'd take me away. She didn't know what to say. She asked me who told me that and I answered. She started to cry. I've never seen mom cry before. It made me feel a little sick inside. Mom's are never supposed to cry. Especially my mom. She was always so tough and she never cried for anything. Ever."

_Hm. She must have changed since last we met_... Pinhead thought.

Alice chuckled and there was that sadness again. "I don't know why I'm telling you this..." she muttered, lowering her head so that he couldn't see her face.

"Because you want to." Pinhead answered. He watched her slowly look up at him with confusion. "You've done your best, Alice. Where are you now? You are alone. You are alone because your mother deemed it that way to protect you."

"From what?" Alice demanded, her voice slowly hardening. She was getting angry.

Pinhead's lips pulled upwards and he showed his teeth. He couldn't resist his next lines. "Why...the demons of course."

Alice laughed and shook her head angrily. She couldn't believe it, but she knew that this shouldn't have come as a surprise to her. "I knew it. I fucking knew you were going to dick around with this," she snapped, starting to get up.

His hand on hers stopped her and she glared at him. "Thank you for taking my whole situation fucking seriously, Barry!" She wrenched her way out of his grasp and stormed out of the restaurant.

Pinhead tilted his head to one side, chuckling softly. My, what a hellcat this one was. She would be so fun to break. He slowly rose from his seat and followed her. She was outside, storming for her car and fumbling angrily with the keys.

"Alice! Alice, don't leave just yet," he told her, "I must apologize. I meant no disrespect."

"Then what did you mean?" she snapped, whirling so that she faced him, "You-You shoot your mouth off at me one second, the next you're a fucking Prince Charming and now, you're laughing at me like my life is funny to you?"

"It isn't a joke, Alice," he told her, gently, "Your mother knew dark secrets, secrets which would shake the very foundation of Earth itself and make grown men shudder in their beds, babies weep in their cribs and dogs wail to the darkness of the moon. I think that she wanted to tell you the very same thing, to feel it, to know it and embrace it."

Alice relaxed but her voice was still hard, deadpanned somewhat. She was at her end with no patience left. "And what is that?"

Pinhead smiled and reached into his coat, pulling out the box. He placed it into her hands and she reacted with shock and even anger at the sight. There was a small glint of fear there as well. "Where the hell did you get this?"

"An old hand-me-down, my dear," he answered, turning to go, "You shouldn't throw the past out the window, it will always find its way back to you, knocking on your front door. Question is: Will you answer it?"

Alice watched him walking away before he called over his shoulder. "I'll be in touch!" He chuckled softly to himself, as if the very words held more meaning than even HE intended.

He disappeared into his car, drove away and left her there, alone.

O

When Alice returned home, she stared at the puzzle box in front of her on the kitchen table, watching it as if she was waiting for it to do something. She had an open bottle of wine sitting there beside her and she just waited... Alice didn't know why, but she had a strange feeling that something was supposed to happen.

She took a drink from her bottle and continued to watch the box.

"This is crazy..." she murmured, to herself, taking another drink.

Soon, after several drinks, Alice began to feel a little woozy. She blinked her exhaustion away, but it was no good. The digits that read 12:34 A.M. on the microwave were melting and blending together like a lava lamp in her vision. She had no strength to make it to bed, so she simply let her head fall on the kitchen table with a dull thud and she was out cold. The idea of having to go to work the following day didn't even matter. A few hours of sleep wouldn't hurt ...

And she didn't just sleep, she dreamed.

_Alice found herself in a strange world; a world of stone, corridors and endless tunnels, walls of stained gray stone broken up by vaguely medieval-looking arches. There were screams echoing all around her, tormented wails of the damned and wet, sticky sounds of flesh being sliced to ribbons. She moved slowly down the length of stone, trying to decide where to turn._

_"Hello?"_

_Her cautious voice had an unpleasant ring in the acoustics of these corridors and it echoed horribly around her. She grimaced somewhat before turning down another corridor. She suddenly found herself inside a beautiful family sitting room. There was a gentle, warm light shining in through a stained glass window. The room was simple in décor; real wood furnishings and decorative porcelain ornaments. Alice recognized the room and she couldn't resist a smile of pure pleasure. She slowly ran a finger over some of the furniture, to assure herself that it was real._

_This reminded her of fun times, good times..._

_"Alice?"_

_The woman whirled and she gasped softly at the sight of her mother, Kirsty Cotton standing there. She was wearing a denim jacket and tight, jeans and a stained white t-shirt. Her eyes had dark rings beneath them and yet, despite her haggard appearance, she looked happy to see her daughter standing there. She wasn't aged; she looked almost like how Alice remembered her from when she was just a little girl._

_"Mom?" Alice whispered._

_Kirsty smiled and there was a bit of sadness in her eyes. "Yeah, sweetie, mama's here. But not entirely." She paused and strolled around the room. "Those shitheads only give me a short time to see you. I guess that's what I get for..." She cut herself off and closed her eyes, shame written all over her face._

_"Get for what?" Alice asked, her voice choking off at the end. "Is this real? Am I dreaming?"_

_Kirsty shook her head and took a few steps close to Alice. She reached out to hold her, but the woman stepped back from her touch. Kirsty chuckled sadly. "I deserve that, kiddo," she replied, "I deserve everything."_

_Alice looked away from her and her chest suddenly burned. It was a dull aching sensation that she was only familiar with when she was going to cry. But she wasn't. She wasn't going to cry this time. She hadn't cried since she was 10 and she wasn't about to start now._

_"Alice, you deserve to know the truth," she told her, "I'm only allowed to appear in your dreams, like this," She gestured to herself, "because it's the only happy memory you have of me."_

_Alice laughed angrily. "Mom, I've had enough of your superstitious bullshit! Why can't you just stop fucking with me and tell me the goddamn truth?"_

_Kirsty frowned at her. "I am trying to tell you the truth."_

_The air seemed to change around them. It was suddenly difficult to breathe and the light of the room gradually became murkier; not exactly dark but more like an oppressive colorlessness that descended before a thunderstorm suddenly broke out through the window. Little hissing noises filled the air from the walls themselves, which almost sounded like labored breathing._

_"They can only have you if you go willingly to them, that was the deal!" Kirsty shouted, over the now roaring sounds that echoed all around them, "Whatever he tells you, whatever he offers, don't listen! Everything he says is a lie! I gave him to them to protect you!"_

_Alice covered her ears against the horrible sounds and tried to block them out, but it felt like they were actually inside her head, trying to get into her very soul._

_"Don't listen!" Kirsty continued, and she sounded further away, "Please, don't listen!"_

_Another voice filled Alice's ears now, a dark and powerful one. Ancient and wicked. "ALICE..."_

_When the woman's eyes popped open, the room had changed and Kirsty was gone. The walls seemed to gush with bright red blood, flowing from nearly every orifice. The screams seemed to echo louder here and Alice screamed in anguish, holding her head with both hands._

_"Nooooo!"_

_The walls began to turn soft and pulpy like flabby skin before her eyes, swelling and turning purple like something had bruised it severely. The whole room has given in to decay now. The happiness stripped away almost in the blink of an eye. The sofa, the chairs...everything ridden with woodworm and rot. A skinless figure sat on the sofa, holding a remote control and flipping channels and whistling as if there was nothing wrong at all._

_Alice backed away from the sight and the skinless being smiled widely at her. There was something about him...something that she should have remembered, but her heart didn't want to. Something she KNEW deep inside._

_"Life's a fucking blast, ain't it?" the man sneered, in a gurgled voice, "Then you're fucking dead."_

_Alice closed her eyes and she could hear the deep, heavy voice in her head once more. "WE WANT YOU...WE WANT TO TASTE...YOUR SOUL...YOUR HAPPINESS...YOUR FLESH...COME TO ME...COME AND DIE..."_

_Alice snapped out of her dream with a shout of terror and pain. She relaxed and rubbed her forehead with a grumble when she realized that she had only been dreaming. She exhaled and stood up, sniffling to clear her sinuses and to grab some coffee. As she stared at the digital clock, her eyes widened in horror._

8:26 A.M.

She was an hour late for work.

"Great!" she shouted, angrily.


	3. Part Three

~O~

"Sooo...how'd it go?"

Katie was eagerly waiting for Alice after work in the lobby, antsy about learning how her so-called date with Barry had gone. Alice wasn't really eager to discuss it right now, but it wasn't fair to blow her friend off because she was in a bad mood.

"As any conversation with Barry goes," Alice answered, carrying her uniform in her bag over her shoulder, "He took everything so seriously."

Katie's smile disappeared and her brow furrowed. "Well, did he at least tell you anything important about your mom?"

Alice shrugged her shoulders. "I don't really know," she answered, "He started to, and then he acted like the demons were some part of why my mom was the way she was. Christ, I don't know if he was just fucking with me or not. Anyway, I just ran out of there and he brought back that stupid puzzle box that I tossed out of the window."

Katie's brows shot up in surprise. "Say what?"

Before Alice answered, Katie looked over her friend's shoulder and she made a face. "Oh hell, here comes Barry..." she murmured, discreetly, "Life's too short..." She turned her back as Barry approached the two women with a smile on his face.

"Ahh, there you are, Alice," he greeted, "May I have a word?"

Alice turned and gave him an irritated look, but she was too tired to really go into a full-out argument with him tonight. "Is it sorry?"

Pinhead chuckled softly and shook his head, folding his arms behind his back. "Perhaps," he replied, raising his "human" eyebrows thoughtfully, "Maybe we can arrange something for tonight. You know, to continue where we left off."

Alice scoffed and Katie grinned broadly to herself. "Why should I?" she snapped, glaring up at him, "You certainly didn't take it seriously last night."

Pinhead laughed, feigning embarrassment and even pity. "Yes, forgive me," he told her, "A meaningless and petty joke. Although I do hope that yesterday won't be the last time that we share a decent conversation. Maybe my home would be a more suitable location?"

Katie cleared her throat, a way to cover up her surprised gasp and Alice frowned at her skeptically, reading her easy. She didn't want this to be treated as a sexual matter among her friend and co-workers. She had enough shit to deal with in her life.

"I don't know, Barry," she answered, giving him a weary look.

Katie elbowed her in the ribs and made a flirty, indicating gesture. "Alice, go on...!" she whispered, carefully, "Get your freak on, girl! You have to set your standards low these days!"

"Katie!" Alice protested, angrily. Her face went red with embarrassment.

Pinhead was amused by the bright red that touched Alice's cheeks. He leaned his head back and took a deep inhale, imagining bright red blood trickling down her face, her eyes squeezed shut in pain, her full lips opened with moans and cries, her chest ripped open and what little heart she had crushed beneath his hands...

Her soul was his to take along with everything else; everything that made Alice Cotton what she was. He could not wait to ruin her purity with his own two hands...her innocence...

Alice skeptically looked up at him and spoke, snapping Pinhead out of his imaginations. "Alright, I guess that's fine," she said.

He brightened and pretended to be delighted with this knowledge. "Excellent! I will see you there!"

O

Alice whirled on Katie angrily as he departed for his vehicle. "Why'd you say that?" she demanded, "That's nobody's business but mine!"

Katie laughed and dodged Alice's fists as the woman attempted to hit her on the shoulder. "Alice, come on!" she insisted, "You might as well be wearing the sign on your forehead! 'I am a sad, lonely desperate little virgin in need of a man'."

Alice glared at her and started for her car. "What kind of friend are you anyway?"

"A good one, Alice," Katie said, "Listen, I think a man is just what you need. Barry might be able to help you unwind. Sure he's older than you, but look on the bright side. He's trying, I can tell. Maybe you should give him a chance."

Alice shuddered at the thought. For a while now, Katie had been trying to help her find someone. Alice was somewhat timid about going into a relationship, even though she pretended like she was a tough girl about it and it really didn't bother her.

In truth, she did feel a little bit lonely these days; her best friend had a boyfriend and she had to watch day after day of their utter happiness. But no one gave her the time of day because they were afraid of her. She was weird and they worried that she was just as crazy as her mother. It wasn't fair sometimes, but if that was how it had to be, she'd just have to learn to deal with that.

But still, there were so many unanswered questions that she still had. She had to see him tonight. Only this time, if he so much as tried anything funny, she would be there...

...with a can of mace and a foot in his ass.

O

Alice had never been to Barry's house before; she didn't realize how close he lived to her. She lived on West Huron River Drive and he on Bryan Boulevard. It was rather creepy, but nonetheless, his house was quite charming and even beautiful. She had to admit, being in Waltz Woods with no neighbors behind you was almost convenient. Nosy neighbors were sometimes a problem with her place. There was also an attached two-car side-entry garage where she could park instead of having to do so on the grass.

Alice was led inside by the "man" who greeted her on the front porch.

"Welcome, Alice," he greeted, "Come inside and make yourself comfortable."

That might have been a problem; this house was fancy, even for her. Sure, she had her inheritance money to use with whatever she wanted, but wow-Barry was living it wealthy! She had walked right into an impressive two-story foyer entry with beautiful hardwood floors, a double coat closet with organizers, and an attractive wood-railed staircase to the second level.

"Swank..." she murmured, impressed.

Meanwhile, in the darkness of her own home, the Lament Configuration began to radiate with intense warmth, heating up the table where it sat and melting the limestone until it dropped onto the tiled floor where it melted there as well, dropping and dropping until it reached Alice's finished basement filled with various shelves of old dance trophies, an entertainment system, a couch and several closet spaces. The box slowly performed turns and clicks before a heavy mist began to fill the basement. The floor began to pool with sticky goo and the room filled with chains, hooks and torture pillars. An eerie hissing sound echoed through the stone walls.

Amid the darkness in the wall opposite the end of the couch, a very narrow doorway has simply opened in the wall and the Cenobites of Pinhead's troop slowly emerged, stepping close to one another. Nikoletta, Butterball, the Raven, Chatter Beast and the Chatterer himself. They surveyed their surroundings with curiosity and dull boredom.

"We wait..." Nikoletta told them. "She has teased him enough."

The Chatter Beast gave a deep, impatient growl and moved across the basement, its paws thudding heavily against the stone. Nikoletta watched it pass. All around the Cenobites, the basement began to transform itself; the wooden shelves and tables began to rapidly decay like in Alice's dream, the television flickered wildly between static and blackness, a fleshless rat scampered on by, squeaking painfully and the windows of the basement were covered in a sticky, red substance.

The Chatterer's teeth snapped together over and over wildly. These Cenobites were impatient to experience the young girl, to take her to Leviathan screaming.

Back at Barry's house, Alice and the demon-in-disguise had already started in on their conversation with wine and sitting close to the fireplace. Alice had begun to relax after a while and she didn't feel so very tense when he started talking about his past life with her and what kinds of sufferings he had dealt with. It was good to not feel like a freak all of the time.

"Barry?" she said, "Do you believe that prayers can be answered?"

Pinhead chuckled softly. "Well, I don't know about prayers, Alice," he replied, "But I believe that if we desire something strong enough, we can make things happen on our own."

Alice raised a brow up at him. Her features were somewhat flushed from the wine. "And what does a guy like you want?"

Pinhead's brows went up at the naivety of the question. Finally, he gave it some thought and was surprised to learn that he had no real answer for it; at least not the answer that he knew she'd want to hear.

He smiled and uttered a gentle sound of amusement, paused and thought about her question before he looked at her. "I don't really know, honestly," he told her, "What I want merely pales in comparison to that of an even greater force's appetites."

"Funny, you never struck me as the religious type."

"Hah. And what is it that YOU desire, Alice?"

The question caused Alice's cheeks to redden to a deeper crimson. It wasn't the question rather than the manner of which he had asked it. She didn't want to tell him her deepest desires because she just wasn't that open of a person.

"I don't know," she lied, "A lot of people think that I'm some kind of psycho like my mother once was. So, it doesn't even make any difference because whatever I want doesn't matter as long as everyone's miserably happy with torturing me."

"I don't think that is true at all," Pinhead told her, "You will be surprised what kind of potential you have, Alice. You have something that they will not have, and that is the secret of knowing them completely. Of seeing them for what they really are, peeling away their flesh to see what secrets beat within. You see the monsters within them and they cannot stand that. They feel naked, exposed, at your very mercy. You are more powerful than you believe."

Alice looked somewhat surprised by the strange compliment. She had never heard anyone say that to her before. She felt somewhat vulnerable by the words that he said, but at the same time, not entirely thrown by them. "Thank you..."

"Hm..." Pinhead studied the clock hanging on the wall, "It is getting late I see. Perhaps you should return home. I will call your friend, Katie to take you there. Your vehicle will arrive at your house tomorrow morning."

Alice smiled slightly to herself as he rose and disappeared into the other room. Hm. This had been a rather pleasant evening for her. It was good to relax sometimes and not worry about who'd be jumping down your throat.

After waiting for Katie, Alice stood at the front door with Pinhead and they watched her vehicle pull up into the driveway.

"Have a pleasant evening, Alice," he told her.

She smiled up at him and cautiously gave him a kiss on his cheek. The demon-in-flesh reacted slowly, carefully at the gesture and touched his cheek as she walked out of the house. What a peculiar gesture indeed and it felt somewhat strange to him. Not different as he had been familiar with such things, but this was...unique somehow. A sensation that made his demonic flesh tingle in a peculiar and despicable way.

His features darkened coldly as he watched her driving away with her friend. This flesh would be stripped tonight. He would not have these weak, pointless sensations with the pitiful human wretch any longer.

O

"Sooo...are you going to tell me how it went?"

Katie's teasing voice was almost musical and Alice couldn't resist her laughter. "Katie, get your head out of the gutter, we just talked."

"For two hours?" Her friend's voice was positively mischievous.

"Yeah. he was actually decent tonight. He didn't joke about anything." Alice trailed off and frowned. "It's just weird, Katie. He's changed somehow. You don't change overnight. Not unless you were visited by God or something."

"Maybe he's been planning this the whole time," Katie offered, watching the road ahead, "I mean, stranger things have happened."

"Really? I doubt it."

"Hey, you never know. Guys don't know how to talk to women with their feelings." Katie pointed out, "Maybe this was what he felt was the best time."

Alice wasn't so sure about that, but she kept quiet as she watched the road through her slightly intoxicated eyes. Things just seemed strange for her lately, and not the usual strange that she often dealt with. She didn't have any name for it.

When she spotted her house in the distance, she smiled at her friend and patted her leg with one hand.

"Hey, I'll see you later then, huh?" she said.

Katie watched her friend climb out of the car and then she gave her a piteous smile. "Hey, try to get some sleep, okay, Alice?" she told her, "Maybe tomorrow we can have a night out or something; you know, clear your head a bit."

Alice smiled at her. "Yeah, maybe."

She shut the door and walked to the front of her house, watching as her friend drove off with a parting wave. Then, she turned and started to take out her house keys, but then, she stopped and squinted up at her house. Something felt a little strange all of a sudden; a bizarre coldness that filled her body, sending prickling shudders down her spine. When she stepped inside the house, she immediately smelled something very rancid, like cooked meat that had been left out in the sun for too long to rot.

"Ugh..." She covered her nose with one hand and switched on the dining room lights. She zeroed in on the hole that had been melted into her kitchen floor and growled in frustration. Being slightly intoxicated really kept her from considering how dangerous this was.

"Goddamn it..."

Alice walked over to the smoking hole and peered down it into darkness. She furrowed her brow and sniffed. "Shit..." Standing up, she walked over to the basement door and opened it, feeling for the light switch. She flicked it a few times, but there was no light.

She rolled her eyes, not eager to do this right now, not when she was so tired. Just as she turned to go, a low whispering sound stopped her in her tracks.

Alice frowned and stared down into the darkness of her basement. She carefully, slowly walked to her couch and pulled out a metal baseball bat before peering down the basement stairs again.

"Hey!" she hollered, making her voice as strong and as threatening as she possibly could, "You got one chance to come out before I come down after you! And if I have to come down, you sure as hell ain't coming back up!"

There was no response.

"I'm getting real tired of people fucking with me..." the woman growled angrily, stomping down the stairs.

It was entirely too dark for her to really see anything, save for the small beam of light that shone down from the kitchen above where the hole had melted down into the basement.

The Lament Configuration was lying there where it had fallen. She walked over with a confused mumble and bent down to pick it up. It was hot to the touch and she sucked in a sharp breath, dropping the box to the floor once more, stunned by the intense heat that it radiated.

"What the hell...?" she murmured.

She used her jacket to wrap around the searing box and picked it up, turning it in her covered hands for study. Behind her, shadows of the Cenobites began to emerge. She didn't sense their presence until a voice purred behind her.

"Alicccceeee..."

The woman whirled to face the demons approaching her and her eyes widened with horror. She thought that perhaps she was just drunk and what she was seeing was not real.

"That's not possible!" she whispered, "You can't be real!"

But Nikoletta spoke for her and smiled fiendishly.

"I can assure you, Alice, we are as real as you want us to be," she told her, raising one hand in a snatching gesture.

Alice had never felt such a swell of terror inside of her before. She never had a reason to be afraid of anything up until this point. And now, here it was; the demons that her mother had spent so long obsessing over, so long trying to protect her from.

They were real.

Alice ran passed them and up the stairs. The Cenobites did not make an effort to pursue her and she spotted Barry at the very top, smiling down at her. Relieved to see him and not even angry that he was in her house, she rushed into his arms.

"Oh God, Barry!" she cried, "We have to go! We have to go, NOW!"

He just continued to smile and Alice noticed a change in his attitude this time. "Oh Alice, you don't have to run away from this," he told her, "After all, it is a great honor."

Alice scowled at him and she could hear the Cenobites below. They almost sounded closer to her this time. She glanced over her shoulder before glaring at the "man" standing there. She raised the baseball bat menacingly with every intention of hitting him with it.

"You get the HELL out of my way before I bash your brains out with this bat!"

He just chuckled quietly at the threat, as if it meant absolutely nothing to him. That angered Alice even further and she swung the bat, aiming for his head.

At that precise and almost immediate instance, he caught the bat with one hand and she watched in horror as it began to buckle and bend in his grip.

Alice backed away, stumbling on the steps until she was back into the basement once more. She kept her eyes on the so-called man who slowly and very elegantly descended the stairs, the irises of his eyes seemingly expanding into endless black. She didn't know what to do or even what was going on.

Alice prayed that this was only a dream, a dream wrought on by stress and alcohol. She would wake up and be in her bed...

Pinhead laughed. "This is not a dream, Alice," he told her, reading her very thoughts, "And I am not your precious lawyer." His eyes closed and he shed the skin that he was wearing, changing back into the Lord of Hell once more.

Alice gasped and the demon smiled. "Oh God... This...This can't be right! You can't be real!"

The Cenobites laughed at her terror, the sounds very unpleasant to the ears. Alice managed to find some small portion of strength in her.

"What do you want?" Alice demanded, struggling to find her voice.

"We want you, of course," Nikoletta answered.

When the female spoke, her voice was almost comforting, a sweet and placating gesture, in some small way; but her eyes glittered with some hidden wickedness.

Alice blinked and shook her head, backing away from the advancing Cenobites. "No...No, you can't!"

"We can...and we will!" Pinhead hissed, his powerful voice practically piercing her very chest with his harsh punctuations.

Alice collected her thoughts and made every attempt to try and find a way to get herself out of this. She raised one hand and smiled weakly, trying something utterly ridiculous, but hopefully, she would be right in her deduction.

"Wait...!" she said, "Y-You can't take me! I have to GO to you. It was a part of some deal, or something. You can't touch me! Not unless I want you to."

Nikoletta arched her brows and moved slowly behind Alice, her throat wound pulsating as she breathed roughly through it. Alice wished that she wouldn't stand so close to her like that. "Oh? And is that an invitation, little one?"

The woman felt something drag itself across her spine and she looked up at the Raven Cenobite standing there now, dragging its razor knuckles gently against her clothes. They were toying with her, testing her to see just what she'd do, what she'd offer them. It was a game to these creatures, it always was. She stared down at the box in her hands and realized that it was suddenly cool to the touch. Her fingers ached to touch it, to send them back.

It was strange. Alice had never known how to work such a box, but for some reason, her hands wanted to learn. In some strange, outlandish way, she felt as if she had always known how to solve it's every turns and mechanisms.

Pinhead read her thoughts and he smirked at her, no longer that thunderous, fearful Lord to his more usual persona-the cold, persuasive, articulate Black Pope of Hell. "You could use it to send us back, Alice," he told her, "But why? Why run? Where to? Do you know where you are?"

Alice furrowed her brow and held the box close to her chest as she found her voice this time. She couldn't let them get into her head. "Exactly where I want to be and I'm doing fine."

But even she knew that was a lie. Alice had always looked for an escape from this horrible existence, but she wasn't going to do it this way. Not with these demons and certainly not in the bowels of hell itself.

But it seemed as if the demon facing her knew very well that she was just lying to herself.

"Oh Alice...always pretending to be somebody that you are not; to be half of what you are..." Pinhead said, softly, "How long can you last in such a way? This world, this Garden of Eden grows, and grows, forcing you to feed its appetites, but it never feeding you, is it?" He made a gesture with his hand. "It washes through you, down the drain, wasted. All the futility of the world itself pours into you. How much can you take, Alice? How much can you take before your very fiber snaps?"

He read a change in her eyes, a look of defeat, but at the same time, defiance. A defiance that made her look so much like her mother.

"You lie here, in your bed...looking at the ceiling and waiting for something to happen. And knowing all the time that you were meant for something better. Something more than what you have been given. Feeling it. Wanting it."

Alice's very flesh tingled with sweet heat at the demon's words. They were just words of course, but for some bizarre reason, they sounded so sensual and sweet coming from a powerful voice such as Pinhead's. She felt fascinated and afraid all at once of this Dark Prince of Pain.

"You have the keys to your dream, Alice," Pinhead continued, "To a world of black miracles, dark wonder, and blood-drenched beauty like nothing you have ever seen. Another life of unknown pleasures. It can be yours should you chose this path."

Alice held the box close and she walked passed them, receiving no resistance. Pinhead watched the stunned, immobile creature walk slowly up the stairs of the basement and smiled to himself.

"We will be here for you, Alice!" he called to her, "Just as we had been for your mother!"

Nikoletta made a wheezing sound in agreement and she tilted her head to one side as the door slammed shut. "She will come..."

"In time..." Pinhead finished for her. "Oh yes...in time..."

O

Alice had not slept a single minute.

She just remained in bed, her eyes wide and locked onto the pale ceiling overhead. Sleep had eluded her that night; she had been too worried about what might come through her bedroom door.

Even though it was quiet, she still hadn't slept at all and the sun was shining through her window, nearly blinding her puffy, red eyes.

Grumbling, Alice slowly and very quietly moved out of bed and down the darkened hallways where no light was shining through.

Alice looked around for the creatures, but there was no sign of them anywhere. The drapes of her windows were all pulled shut and everything seemed to be in its proper place. Whatever they were, they were gone, illusions or not.

With some relief, Alice walked into the kitchen, finding the drapes had been pulled shut there too. It was a peculiar thing to have them shut, but she really didn't care. Regardless of whether or not she had imagined everything, they were gone.

"You should be careful, Alice..."

The woman gave a startled shriek and whirled; Nikoletta was standing there, framed in the doorway with a deadly smile on her pale, white face. Alice moved quickly, snatched a knife from the utensil drawer and aimed it at the Cenobite.

"That cannot harm me, child," Nikoletta told her, the open throat wound creating an eerie rasp to her voice, like the sound of a terribly frightened little girl, "There are so many more...elegant things made that can wrought pain."

Alice took a few cautious steps to the side, making no sudden movements, but not lowering her knife from the Cenobite, even though she had already proclaimed the uselessness of the weapon.

"What are you?" she asked, her voice shaking in between calm and terror. "What the hell are you?"

"We can be your angels, or your worst nightmares in flesh," she answered, watching the frightened human like a tiger stalking prey, "Which will it be, Alice?"

Alice slowly lowered the knife, though still kept it level and she struggled to keep her voice steady. "I didn't want this..."

Nikoletta tilted her head to one side, a thoughtful look crossing her features. "You are lying."

"What?"

"You have wanted this," the Cenobite answered, "You've wanted it for a long time now; an escape, a path down a more darker and sensual road. I can feel it in your heart. You want to know our secrets and share our dark wonders. The only thing that is stopping you is your humanity, your doubts and your confusions. Your heart aches for the unknown, but your corrupted human mercy repels it. Such a shame too for one as innocent and pure as yourself."

Alice growled and her eyes burned with fury. She found the courage that she was seeking. "Stop fucking doing that!" she spat, "You think that it's okay to read other people's hearts and feelings, but it's not! Those are MY thoughts! Not yours! You have no right!"

Nikoletta chuckled softly and her next words carried menace that Alice knew was no where near empty, fierce and harsh. "I could peel away your face, split your skull open and read you just as easily as I am now. You are an open book, child. A book that yearns to be read."

Alice carefully looked around the kitchen, seeking out the other flesh-tattered creatures. "Where are your friends?" she demanded, her voice trembling.

"They are around should the situation merit..." Nikoletta answered, moving silently across the kitchen like a black and white specter, "I was to remain here with you. To keep an eye on you until the master returns from his affairs."

Alice laughed and it sounded like someone on the verge of a hysterical breakdown. "Why? I'm not a goddamn child! You have no rig-"

Nikoletta turned immediately and Alice's voice caught in her throat at the unexpected gesture. The female's features were pitiless and yet, somewhere in those dark, black eyes was a fire of direct challenge, a restrained anger that she kept in check.

"You have said that twice and yet you have done nothing to stop me, Alice..." she whispered, her dry voice sounding more rough and ugly now. After a brief moment, she closed her eyes, smiled calmly and resumed that cool, quiet persona she was famous for.

"Can I ask something then?" Alice finally asked, somewhat steadier this time.

"You may..."

Alice gestured to her own throat and she spoke her words timidly. "Does that hurt?"

The question was bizarre and nothing that the Cenobite had every heard before. No human had ever asked such a thing of her because it was very obvious that she was in pain from the wounds. But to ask a question meant that the woman was either concerned for her or simply naive. Nikoletta frowned at her.

"Yes...it does," she answered.

There was a soft hissing sound and the two turned toward the kitchen door where another Cenobite emerged, only she looked more human than the rest. Nikoletta inhaled sharply upon reflex and when she spoke, her asthmatic voice was no where near excited.

"Angelique..."

The woman standing there was positively beautiful as far as Alice could tell. She must have been one of them wearing a human skin. There was that single beauty mark on Angelique's cheek that the woman continued to stare at.

"Nikoletta." the Cenobite acknowledged.

The feeling between the two seemed mutual and Alice could tell that this "woman" wasn't exactly favored among her kind. She also noticed that Nikoletta was now standing directly in front of her this time to hide the woman from the other Cenobite; it almost looked like a protective gesture. That or the open-wounded demon did not seem eager to share her with the other.

Or maybe there was some hidden threat with the demon in human flesh that Alice didn't fully comprehend just yet.

"It is good to see you, Angelique," she said.

Angelique's eyes locked onto Alice as she answered and they glittered with hunger, lust and many other emotions. Alice remained steady and strong against her, staring back with unflinching intensity. Whatever this "woman" was doing she wasn't going to falter.

"And you. Still wearing the old fashions, I see."

Nikoletta furrowed her white brow and stared at the other demon with suspicion. The stand off reminded Alice of a wary mongoose who had come face-to-face with a venomous cobra. "So. After all this time, what's the occasion?"

Angelique chuckled softly and moved into the kitchen, observing her surroundings with a bare hint of dismay. "Oh my...it reeks with shame in here," she murmured.

Alice laughed indignantly. "Sorry, I left my red carpet in the basement that you destroyed."

Nikoletta sounded weary. "Alice..." she warned.

Angelique, however, didn't seem afflicted by the sarcasm. Instead, she placed a finger on Nikoletta's shoulder, pushing her slightly to the side to get a better view at the human, smiling up and down. Alice didn't like the way she stared at her. She reminded her of those snotty little whores from her college days who would parade around the grounds, thinking that they owned the whole world around them and anyone they wanted.

"Ohh, this one has spirit!" Angelique gushed, touching Alice's cheek with one hand. "The Leviathan will be most pleased indeed with such a...passionate soul."

Alice glared at her defiantly. "I have to GO to him first." she reminded her.

Angelique curled her lip up in a cruel gesture and she poked Alice hard in the cheek, nearly jabbing the bone. From the look on her beautiful face, Alice could tell that she wanted to rip her throat out. Instead, she calmed and smiled once more. "Yes. Your mother was smart, wasn't she?"

Alice watched as the demon sauntered back toward the doorway and Nikoletta scowled after her.

"Oh! Inform Xipe that I have a message for him," Angelique said, with a casual wave over her shoulder, "Tell him that the Leviathan wants a progress report very soon!"

Her soft voice carried her words with a suggestive manner to them, one that Alice sensed held more on her part than she really wanted. Nikoletta relaxed her shoulders when she sensed Angelique's presence had fully departed.

"She's nice." Alice murmured, sarcastically.

Nikoletta turned to face her. "You must not trifle with her anger, Alice," she warned, "Angelique is not as patient as we have come to be."

"I thought she was with you."

"Not entirely," Nikoletta answered, "We suspect that she wants hell for herself."

Alice stared at the Cenobite with shock and mute disbelief. What was she trapped in between?

O

Katie knocked on the front door of Alice's house and Nikoletta slowly turned, looking in its direction. She gave Alice a warning look and the woman slowly, very carefully walked around the demon to the front door and opened it. Katie grinned at her.

"Alice! You will never believe what I just found for you!" she gushed.

Alice tried to smile, despite her recent events of terror and her best friend caught the attempt and the smile vanished. "Alice? Hey, what's wrong?" she asked, "Didn't you get any sleep last night?"

She leaned forward, peering into the house. There were no signs of the demon, but she noticed that all of the closed blinds and laughed. "Geez, it's dark as hell in there! What's going on? Don't tell me you're going through a Marilyn Manson phase or something?"

Alice forced an uncomfortable laugh. "M-Maybe...!"

Katie didn't laugh; instead, she squinted at Alice and looked a little more concerned this time. "Alice, are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine." Alice replied, shaking her head and acting as if nothing was wrong at all, "I haven't had my coffee yet." _Or my crazy pills._

Katie grinned again. "Good! Because I have a surprise for you!"

"Is it a gun?"

Katie missed the dismal jibe and she laughed. "No! I got you a date!"

Alice looked startled now. "A what?"

"A date!" Katie continued, "I walked into him in the music shop-you've been dropping hints lately for your birthday-and he was in the country music section too. I told him about you and what's been going on. You share the same interests and he was hoping to meet you today!"

Alice tittered and her brows formed a thin line. "A pity date?" she muttered, "THAT'S my surprise?"

Across the street, Pinhead was dressed in Barry's skin and he was just getting out of his car when he picked up the conversation between the two women. His brow knotted curiously. Alice had a surprise date? Hm, this would probably interfere with his plans should this man be the source of her happiness. He had to find a flaw in this in order for his plan to take her to the Leviathan to come into full fruition.

"Alice, he's a very nice guy!" Katie insisted, patting her friend on the shoulder, "And he's very eager to meet you soon."

"Does Mr. Eager have a name or should I just call him Bob?"

"It's Kevin Carberry."

Alice slightly reacted to the name. She frowned thoughtfully and rubbed her chin. "Carberry? Carberry..." She shook her head and her voice seemed slightly more edged now. "Why does that name suddenly sound so familiar?"

Katie cringed slightly, waiting for the outburst to come. She flinched and drew her shoulder inward, as if she was preparing herself for getting punched in the shoulder. "You guys went to high school together...?"

Alice looked annoyed now and she licked her lips to wet them. "Huh. This wouldn't by any chance be the same Kevin Carberry who used to steal my tuna sandwiches every Friday and throw my books into the sand and rain puddles, is it?"

"Yeah..."

Alice smiled deviously. So, an old school bully wanted to talk to her, huh? Well, she could only guess it was because of her inheritance. So why shouldn't she go? She could use this as a perfect opportunity to get the revenge that she suddenly felt this Kevin Carberry deserved.

When she looked across the street and spotted "Barry" standing there, watching her expectantly, Alice smiled at him deviously and nodded to Katie, making sure that he heard her.

"Actually, I think I might go after all!" she said.

Katie grinned and nodded. "Alright! I'll call him up and say you're on!"

Alice watched as Katie drove away, passing the demon in flesh whose nails raked down the steel of his car with a furious snarl.

O

That evening, Katie dropped Alice off at the front of the Caucus Club Restaurant and she sat outside on a bench, kicking her legs somewhat in a distracted gesture. She sighed and looked around the darkened streets, ignoring the passing people.

"Alice?"

The woman turned and came face to face with a very familiar face. Although much had changed, Kevin Carberry was still the same in face as she remembered. Of course, when in high school, he was chubby, but here, he was slender and muscular in build, his tan hair slightly long and tied into a ponytail. He was wearing slightly ripped jeans and a leather jacket. She raised an amused brow at his startled expression.

"What are you looking at?" she asked.

"Crazy Cotton, I can't believe that's you!" Kevin exclaimed, grinning.

"Well, you're a sight for sore eyes yourself, Cranberry ... "

After reliving old nicknames, Kevin and the woman chuckled uncomfortably to one another. "So...you wanted to meet up with me again, huh." Alice murmured, "Was it because I...came into a bit of money or is this one of Cranberry's famous tricks?"

Kevin furrowed his brow as if the idea insulted him more than anything else. "Mo..." He trailed off and laughed slightly, suddenly understanding why she was so suspicious. It was a bit strange to want to speak to her all of a sudden. "Come on, Alice, I've grown up from just playing jokes on you. After I heard that you moved out of the city, I thought maybe we could catch up. You know, just talk about what happened after high school."

Alice squinted at him before she sighed and shrugged. "Alright."

After a moment of talking things over at dinner, Alice had begun to unwind with the reunion of an old class...companion. Kevin was laughing as he finished up a story with her and Alice actually looked amused the entire time.

"...and then he threw it all back up...?"

Alice grinned. "Yeah...I remember that," she replied, "They had to scrape it off of the walls." She paused and stared at Kevin's expression of utter amusement, reading his gaze and finding no ill-intent there. So why did he want to have this moment with her? "Alright, Kevin, let's be honest with each other. Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why were you suddenly so interested in me?"

Kevin smiled at her sheepishly and sat back in his chair. "Alright, look..." he said, "I was a dick to you before, and with what happened to your mom and everything, I thought maybe we should start over, you know?" He reached out to her and offered his hand. "Hi. I'm Kevin Carberry."

Alice tried not to laugh at that and extended her hand to his, shaking it, playing along with the game. "Alice Cotton."

"Nice to meet you, Alice," Kevin told her, laughing gently.

The two sat there in cute, awkward silence for a moment before Alice gestured to the door. "Hey, want to grab a movie or something?"

"Sure!" Kevin said, standing up. "I know this real killer flick!"

It was almost midnight when Alice returned home. Kevin walked her to her door and she just laughed, embarrassed. "I...uh...I can do this part pretty easily," she told him, pulling out her keys and fumbling with the door locks.

"So...maybe tomorrow we could..." he began.

Alice shrugged her shoulders and she couldn't resist the urge to smile again. This was probably the strangest thing that she had ever done, but tonight, she felt like she had been a normal person. And with a guy who used to make her life hell in high school!

Things may have been strange lately, but this was a pleasant change to the mundane task of many people avoiding her. She would look forward to their next meeting. "Sure. Maybe you could look me up."

Kevin nodded. There was no signs of malice, cruelty or even disgust there in his eyes. Alice was quite adept at picking such things out, but she sensed nothing from him. He was a good and honest man, a rarity. And he just happened to find her.

"Goodnight then," Alice told him, walking into her house and closing the door behind her.

As soon as she shut the door, the voice of Pinhead filled the air. "Welcome home."

Alice had been so lost in her not so common pleasure, so lost in her amusement that she had completely forgotten about the cursed Cenobites who still remained here in her home. She spun around and flipped her light on, casting a dim and eerie glow onto the horrible shapes standing there in her living room. There was a dog now as far as she could tell; the Chatter Beast. Their faces were unreadable, but Pinhead's looked somewhat aggravated.

"You..." Alice whispered, fear returning.

"You are very brave to tease me, girl," Pinhead told her, his voice chilling and threatening, "Tell me, did you enjoy the fool?"

Alice furrowed her brows and shifted where she stood. "That's not your business." She turned and stormed up to the second floor, where Pinhead's voice seemed to echo from every corner of the house and every window. The voices of the other Cenobites seemed to merge with his as well, becoming a trilling, creepy crescendo of madness and whispers.

\- "He will never love you, Alice."

\- "He will cheat you..."

\- "Don't listen to his lies. Hear us, believe us."

\- "He will hurt you, like all the others."

Alice ran for her bedroom and shouted out furiously, hands going for her ears. "STOP IT!" she shrieked, "LEAVE ME ALONE!"

She dove into her bed and slammed her face into the pillows over and over again with a howl of rage and pain to follow. How was she going to get rid of these accursed creatures? Were they right and did she really want them here? No. That was ridiculous. They were demons! How could anyone want demons here, haunting her every shadow...

After pondering it for a long time, Alice finally found sleep.


	4. Part Four

~O~

"Shit!"

Alice sucked in a sharp breath of pain as she accidentally sliced her open palm with the dinner knife; it was probably the worst thing in the world for her to do right now, given her situation. Kevin thought that it would be fun to hang out at the park. The least that she could do was meet him half way given he had paid for her dinner that night.

The sound seemed to rouse the Cenobite from the basement because Nikoletta was there immediately. But not because of her concern for Alice's well being, but because of her concern for keeping with the Leviathan's orders.

"Child, what happened?"

"Your concern is touching," Alice answered, her voice quite sarcastic. She moved across the kitchen to grab a small first aid kit in the drawers. The blood was dripping menacingly from her hand and onto the counter top. Little did she notice that it had drawn the fascinated attention of the Cenobite.

Nikoletta slowly moved, almost transfixed by the sight. She reached out and touched Alice's blood on the table with two fingers.

While the human's back was turned from her, angrily searching for gauze and spray, Nikoletta carried the blood to her mouth. The Cenobite closed her eyes and she felt an intense sensation worming through her chest like nothing she had ever felt since the first time she had experienced the Labyrinth itself. Sheer unadulterated pleasure.

Virgin blood.

Nikoletta had not had the pleasure of sampling such pure, unspoiled blood in so long that she had almost forgotten what it tasted like. Her control was pulled so taut that it threatened to break and she clenched her fist tightly at her belt, where her weapons of torture rested. Her fingers ached to take the sharpest tool, slice Alice to ribbons and drink every last drop like the Primordial Ones before her.

Alice turned and frowned at her, wrapping her hand up. She noticed the peculiar look of focus on the Cenobite's face and she tilted her head. Her chest suddenly felt the instinctive pulse of fear even though she didn't know why.

"What?" she asked.

Nikoletta took a deep inhale and it sounded terrible through that breathy voice. It made her sound higher than usual and weaker. "I...I must rest..." she murmured, turning and disappearing from the kitchen to the basement like a shadow. Her movements were hasty and desperate almost, as if she was eager to escape the girl's proximity as soon as possible.

Rest? Now Alice had heard everything.

But that made no difference to her right now; this moment was for her to have a good time. She hadn't had one of those since Katie's 18th birthday party when she actually had Toby Keith come in and play music for her birthday. Her parents were pretty wealthy, so it never surprised her in the least that they could afford the singer. But now, now was the time to spend with a normal person; not that her friend wasn't normal, she just craved a change.

She would prove to them that she didn't need their ways, or their offer either. The demons would be very disappointed.

Meanwhile, Nikoletta was lingering in the basement, facing Pinhead with a weakened expression. He furrowed his great brow at her, unused to seeing her in such a condition. "What is it that troubles you, Nikoletta?" he asked, "Can you not handle the girl?"

"Her blood...I have tasted her blood by mere accident, my lord," the Cenobite answered, wearily. "I wanted to rend her very flesh to ribbons. It was so very sweet...I had to leave for fear of failing the Leviathan's orders and killing her."

"I see," Pinhead smiled, pleased with her restraint although intrigued by how Alice's blood would taste to him, "Where is she now?"

"She leaves for the park, my Lord," Nikoletta answered, her eyes moving toward the blocked window of the basement, "She is meeting that fool for a morning lunch, I presume."

"Good."

O

Alice and Kevin were sitting alone by the fountain of the park while they were eating some salads that she had brought and chicken wings. Kevin had brought a radio with him and it was quietly playing Lynard Skynard's "What's Your Name".

"So...you used to be a dancer?" Kevin asked, pouring some more barbecue sauce on his chicken wings.

"Yeah, I used to love dancing up until I started high school," Alice replied, "I used to be really good at it too. I even won a few trophies for some talent shows and contests. Mom used to say that I was an angel up on the stage."

Kevin smiled, impressed. "Really? That's great! So why'd you quit?"

"I don't know..." Alice answered, her voice changing now, "I guess because my mom seem to have just stopped caring about it. She was so worried about other more important things that since she stopped caring, then I guess I did too."

Kevin sucked his teeth in a very thoughtful gesture. "Well, you seem to put a lot of blame on your mom, Alice," he said, "I don't think that's one hundred percent fair, you know. You shouldn't stop something that you're good at because it seems like people don't care. I mean, who gives a shit, right? People are idiots."

Alice chuckled softly and she wanted to believe that were true; that Kevin's words were meaningful. But years of being isolated made it difficult to really let her guard down a full way. It would just take time. Time that she hoped he would spend.

"Yeah...I guess so."

Behind her, "Barry" was slowly approaching the scene and Kevin noticed it before she did. "Hey, who's that guy?" he asked.

"Hello, Alice, it's quite a coincidence that I'd meet you here."

When he spoke, Alice's eyes widened with mute horror and she slowly turned to face the smirking "man" standing there. Kevin didn't realize the significance of Alice and Barry's relationship, so he simply stared at the woman curiously.

"Alice, do you know this guy?" he asked.

Alice smirked angrily and spoke between clenched teeth. "Yes. This is Barry Miller. My lawyer who has become a severe PAIN IN MY ASS lately."

Pinhead laughed heartily. "Oh Alice, if I were to be any significant source of your pain, your rectum would certainly not be the first place I'd start!"

"Go away!" Alice snarled, fiercely in a dropped voice.

"Why should I?"

Kevin scratched the back of his neck and his body language told the demon that he was getting uncomfortable with the confrontation. "Uh Alice, I should probably get going..." he told her, sheepishly. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

"No, Kevin, don't go," Alice told him, gently. She glared at the demon in disguise and spoke coldly. "Barry was just leaving."

"I was not."

Now Kevin sensed a potential problem. He stood close to "Barry" and pointed a finger at his chest. "Hey, I think the lady asked you to leave," he snapped.

Pinhead's gaze wandered between the two glaring faces and he just chuckled softly to himself. The task was not to cause problems, so he would back down for now. He gave Alice a deadly look that meant he would continue with this later.

_To be continued...Alice..._

His powerful, sensual voice filling her head nearly swayed her off of her feet and she sat down quickly, rubbing the bridge of her nose to try and rid herself of the bizarre, tingling sensation. It felt as if he had stripped her naked to the very bone and touched in every single nerve ending of her body.

It wasn't a pleasant feeling but it wasn't exactly the worst feeling in the world either. It was like she had stepped into a freezer and immediately sat in front of a fire.

"Jesus, he's supposed to be your lawyer?" Kevin said, "It doesn't seem to me that you even have the liking for each other."

Alice felt the strangest urge to tell him everything that was going on. No, don't do that. You don't want this guy thinking you're a freak, do you?

But the fact of the matter was, she was still alone in this problem. Demons in the basement weren't exactly a way to improve social status, but she had to get help somehow. Looking at Kevin with a weary smile, she shrugged her shoulders.

"That's Barry for you," she told him, "He's a royal asshole."

Pinhead observed the happy moment with a sneer on his face. How much joy do the weak crave? How much would it take for Alice to suffer for her to realize that she was destined for hell? He had to change the playing field a bit.

The boy, Kevin would have to be seen as a traitor, a little player to her. Oh but how would he go about that? Pinhead's attention was suddenly focused on a physically attractive woman passing by, pushing a stroller with her little spawn sleeping inside of it. The way she smiled at Kevin and the way he acknowledged with a smile of his own...

He smiled fiendishly.

The evening came entirely too fast for Alice. She didn't want it to end between her and Kevin; she had just too much fun with him, just talking and laughing to one another as they walked down the darkened streets, walking toward Alice's car.

"I should get going," Alice told him, "I have work tomorrow."

"Yeah, I should get on my way too," Kevin agreed, a happy smile on his face. He turned so that he faced her. "So, would you be interested in checking out the Paris Opera and Orchestra tomorrow night?"

Alice laughed, amused. She arched a single eyebrow at him. "I don't really like opera."

"Me neither, but you're going to be with me, so who really cares?" Kevin joked.

Alice felt her cheeks growing hot and she smiled, glancing down at the street. "True."

The pair lingered there for several long moments before Alice shyly moved away and climbed into her car. She gave Kevin a sheepish smile and started up the engine, accidentally turning on her radio full blast and quickly shutting it off. He laughed softly as he watched her pull away, waving after her.

As soon as she disappeared around a distant street corner, a hand came down onto his shoulder; not a particularly friendly one either.

It was Barry-Pinhead.

"She is quite the find, isn't she?" the demon-in-disguise sighed, "But I am afraid that she has already been taken."

Kevin rolled his eyes and laughed impatiently. "What do you want?"

"Oh, I'd say that I am happy for you, but that would be lying, now wouldn't it?" Pinhead said, sneering in his words.

Kevin turned and faced him with his chest slightly flared. "Look, whatever you got up your ass about me or Alice, I think you need to clear it out right now," he told him, "Back off, leave her alone or the better least, get a decent attitude."

Pinhead smiled down at him and placed a tight grip around the man's shoulders. "Come my friend, let me buy you a drink."

Kevin was not particularly comfortable with his choice of place-a strip club where they were surrounded with women, howling drunken men and liquor. Pinhead didn't mind the atmosphere all too much. It reminded him of the pagan days of wailing druids and crazed witches.

_Now THOSE were good times!_

"I guess this is the kind of thing that you enjoy doing, Barry?" Kevin guessed, skeptically leaning against the bar end and taking a drink of his glass of vodka, "Picking up strippers and paying them top notch dollars to get you off?"

Pinhead laughed. "Oh do not pretend that you haven't indulged in the most pleasurable of sins, dear boy," he hissed, taking a drink from his glass. He smiled at a near-naked woman who passed him with a tray of glasses. "Take in all of this flesh! All of this...opportunity."

Kevin chuckled dryly. "Yeah, I've seen plenty of it to know that it's all just the same skin. Women aren't just fuck toys, you know."

"Certainly not," Pinhead answered, "What's INSIDE of them is so much more precious."

The words that hissed out of him like some hungry predator made Kevin stare at him with a wary frown. "You sure have peculiar tastes...Barry."

Pinhead could sense that this boy immediately felt concerned for Alice's sake. He was wondering just what kind of man this lawyer could be fore her; what good would he serve. This was no foolish child. He doubted his intentions, be covered up as they were.

"Heh. Peculiar tastes? Well, that could be called by many a man foolish enough not to understand them or cowardly enough to avoid experiencing them personally," he replied, "What about you, Kevin? Which are you?"

The two looked up toward the center stage where a stripper in a blackened robe began dancing erotically through a circle of fire surrounding the stage. Kevin was no doubt impressed by the sight and Pinhead could see that. He smiled broadly and leaned forward, his voice horribly close.

"Look at her, Kevin," he hissed, "Look at her smooth, perfect flesh, her soft, unsoiled hair, those luscious lips... Such a perfect shape for a true, delicious woman. You would love to have a creature like that, wouldn't you?"

Kevin seemed slightly mesmerized by the flames, not entirely on the woman moving there. Pinhead's voice was practically droning in his ear; a dark, heavy sound that filled his ears and reached into his brain like a dark, bleeding claw.

"Huh. Yeah, she is pretty hot, huh?" he agreed, half-heartedly.

"Would you enjoy having sex with her, Kevin?" Pinhead sneered, changing the entire mood from sensual to just plain vulgar, seeing just how far he could push the man from Alice and closer to his own personal sins, "I bet that you would. Alice would not satisfy your needs. She is a shy and bitter creature. She would not give you what you want, what you deserve. Just give up on her and have fun with REAL women. It's what you want, isn't it?" He chuckled cruelly. "Leave Alice to me. I don't think that she'd mind too much if I touched her."

Kevin's smile disappeared and he whirled on the man furiously. Pinhead smirked and he could sense the fury clouding the boy's judgment quickly. Oh! He had quite a temper on him. A history of aggression and impatience. He was fooling himself in believing that he could change to suit others, to suit himself.

"Oh, yes, I have touched Alice, boy," he hissed, "I enjoy how she feels and knowing that you will never have her or know what that is like."

Kevin glared at him before he calmed and the fire in his eyes disappeared. He gave Pinhead a half-cocky and relaxed smile. "We do it on my terms, asshole, not on yours." And with that, he quickly stormed out of the strip club.

Pinhead watched him go and let a portion of his humanity slip; his voice burst forth with a frustrated, inhuman snarl.

O

Alice didn't want to be in the library that morning, but she felt that she had to.

Learning about the Cenobites would help to give her a little bit of a fighting advantage over them. After all, they were not going to tell her about themselves or their secrets on their own terms. She had to dig for them deep herself.

But finding things about them were very difficult given she had nothing to really start with. So she decided to talk to the librarian despite her instincts not to do so.

The woman was old; she was wearing thin glasses set against her wrinkled features. She was wearing a thin, ruffled blouse and a tan skirt. When Alice approached her, she placed a book down that she was reading and looked up.

"Can I help you, dear?" she asked.

"Yeah. Where do you keep books on Demonology?"

The librarian stood up and gestured down a darkened row. "Right there."

Alice smiled and nodded once. "Thank you."

She walked into the designated aisle of books and began to look around for whatever she could use to her benefit. There were so many books that it would take her forever to look through them all to find what she'd need. She pulled out a first book.

DEMONS IN MYTH: An Encyclopedia of Demonic Entities.

Hm. It sounded promising. Alice opened it up and began to page through it. It looked to be an encyclopedia regarding various demon types throughout the ages and religions. Alice had no idea what these demons were called, and thankfully, there were pictures in this book to help her along in case she saw something familiar.

And finally, she found something.

There was a hieroglyphic image of what she could guess was what wanted her. Looking at the name, she read it out loud to herself.

"Cenobites?"

-

_Main Entry: Ce·no·bite_

_Variant(s): Also coe·no·bite (se-nə-bīt)_

_Function: Noun_

_Etymology: Late Latin coenobita, from coenobium monastery, from Late Greek koinobion, ultimately from Greek koin- coen- + bios life. The term cenobite is a word meaning "a member of a communal religious order". They are also referred to as Hierophants._

_Date: 15th Century_

_The Cenobites are rumored to be extra dimensional beings that can breech the very line between reality only through a schism in time and space, which is opened and closed using certain unearthly artifacts. The most common form for these artifacts is that of an innocuous-looking Chinese-style puzzle box called the Lament Configuration created by late Phillip LeMarchand in the 17th century._

_The Cenobites are known to have all have horrific mutilations for reasons unknown._

_The religious aspects of their origins and motivations are ambiguous, there is no overt reference or iconography linking the Cenobites to any traditional Abrah Eastern depiction of damnation, demonic nature, or Infernal origin, leaving the most likely interpretation to be that to an outside observer, the bizarre and unpleasant properties of the Cenobites' native plane of existence would likely be interpreted to be Hell or "hellish". In fact, the Cenobites originally exhibited amoral personalities-neither demonstrably malicious or beneficent-displaying a depraved indifference or lack of empathy towards their victims._

_The philosophical motivations of the Cenobites have changed with time and medium. According to rumor, they manifest as devoted followers of a supernatural hedoism with unorthodox definitions of pleasure; although vaguely described, this form of pleasure endorsed by the Cenobites involved two distinct forms: the expansion of sensation to an extremely painful point of sensory overload, and enduring excruciating pain through incessant tortures that transcend traditional laws of physics. They exhibited no discernible morality or immorality, merely the unwavering devotion to their craft._

-

Interesting enough, there was also a picture of the puzzle box that Alice had come across from her mother's lock box. Alice began to scour for books regarding the Cenobites. Now that she had a basic idea, there had to be something that she could do to stop them.

So she raced all through the library in a mad search for any information that would be useful to her. Her searches led her to a book entitled: THE MIND IS A LABYRINTH. There was a complex drawing of what looked like an Escher painting with a bit of an eerie feel to it and chains donning the binding.

Alice turned the book in her hands for study and noticed that the author had but one name printed there. Tiffany.

Alice curiously opened the book and observed the book's contents. There were written pages regarding psychology and how it tied together with puzzles and your mind. It was interesting, but not what Alice was looking for. She started to close the book when a picture flashed by through the pages that caught her attention. She returned to the page that had caught her eye and discovered a bizarre, almost child's representation of what looked like the grid - faced Cenobite leader.

So this author knew something about them.

Alice turned the book around to find some kind of contact information if there was any at all. There was an email address there.

Hah. What a bizarre email address, but Alice had to use whatever she could get. She checked out whatever books she needed and quickly hurried home, onto her computer to speak with this LabyrinthLady. Thankfully, there were no signs of the Cenobites anywhere and the curtains were even drawn open, so they must not have been inside the house at the current time.

After logging in and typing in the address, she contemplated on what to tell her. Something that sounded good and not at all weird. While she leaned back in her chair to gather her thoughts, Alice soon felt a bit thirsty and walked into the kitchen to get a drink. When she returned, she started typing her email address. It was weird, but who was she to assume that LabyrinthLady's email was strange and off the wall.

-

_Hi._

_I have recently acquired your book. It inspired me and I need your help_

_regarding the situations that you say you have experienced._

_Please email back. I am eager to speak with you as soon as_

_possible._

-

Alice cringed at the message. She sounded a little too desperate there. But whatever; if it got the woman's attention, then she'd work with that. She even added a smiley emoticon for good measure. Pressing SEND, Alice leaned back in her chair to wait for a message back. Her computer would alert her of a message if one would come in. Alice just hoped that this big, bad famous author would give her the time of day.

So she waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Alice had gotten up from her chair a few times; she paced back and forth in the living room, laid down on the couch, tossing a small rubber ball into the air. She tossed the ball into a wall across from her and it came back, hitting her square in the nose. Alice grunted sharply and held her nose with a frustrated curse.

Time seemed to pass entirely too long and she moved from the couch to the chair, a newspaper sprawled on her stomach. She had almost given up on this all together until she heard a small beeping sound from her computer, announcing a new message. Alice stumbled from her chair and she quickly clicked on the indicating tab, opening up a message from LabyrinthLady.

-  
 _LabyrinthLady1987: Hello stranger. Thank you for reading my book and taking the time to appreciate it. What would you like to know?_  
-

Alice grinned and she quickly started typing, reading her own message aloud as she did. "Put me on live chat." And with that, she clicked SEND. After waiting a few moments, the alert for live chat invite was immediately indicated. So now the two women could speak to one another easily. Alice started typing up her message.

-  
 _AliceCat300: Sorry for sounding too desperate. It's been a stressful week.  
LabyrinthLady1987: LOL. No problem. I have those all the time. I've just gotten back from the store. What is the emergency?_  
-

Alice pondered curiously and warily. How could she go about explaining this kind of thing anyway? She started typing again.

-  
 _AliceCat300: I want to know more about these demons from your book. Who are they? what do they want? How can you make them go away?_  
-

She hit SEND. There was a long wait before she was responded to.

-  
 _LabyrinthLady1987: Who are you?_  
-

Alice frowned at the sudden change in temperature. She waited for a brief moment before answering.

-  
 _AliceCat300: Why is that so important for you to know? Look, let's just say I need your help with this and leave it at that.  
LabyrinthLady1987: How can I be so sure that this is not a joke email? Are you trying to make fun of me? Are you one of those little kids who gets their kicks out of teasing older women?_  
-

Alice laughed inwardly and shook her head, typing in her response.

-  
 _AliceCat300: What? No! I just need your help, alright? I'm not one of those losers! Please, just tell me what you know.  
LabyrinthLady1987: Alright. I'll meet you halfway if you answer a question for me.  
AliceCat300: Uh...sure.  
LabyrinthLady1987: You wouldn't be Kirsty Cotton's daughter by any chance, would you?_  
-

Alice blinked at the response with shock. What in the hell did she say that would give this strange woman any idea of who she was or who her mother was? Alice was almost unsure of what to say or if she even wanted to finish this conversation.

-  
 _LabyrinthLady1987: Are you still there?  
AliceCat300: How do you know my mother? Who are you?  
LabyrinthLady1987: Kirsty Cotton was a good friend of mine and your email address gave it away. She saved me from my own personal demons, I suppose you could say. I owe her my life. I am sorry for her death. It must have been hard for you. Your mother talked about you a lot._  
-

Alice felt her throat go tight. She swallowed the hot lump down before she typed again.

-  
 _AliceCat300: My mother talked to everyone but me, it seems.  
LabyrinthLady1987: I see ... Well, your mother told me what she was planning even long before your birth. The deal that she had made with them was very tricky. Just remember this, Alice, they cannot take you unless you let them. You are truly innocent and they want that. A pure soul mean for heaven to be damned to their hell; to prove that even the most pure and unspoiled desire damnation. Did you open the box?_  
-

That was the strangest crap that Alice had ever heard written to her in a long time, but she wasn't about to doubt it either.

-  
 _AliceCat300: No. I just touched it, that's all. Someone else must have let them out. They are staying inside my basement. They won't leave no matter what I do or say to them. What happens if they decide that I won't go with them?  
LabyrinthLady1987: They will never give up, Alice. You have to find a way to beat them at their own game. Once they have their sights set on something, that's it. Just be lucky that they cannot touch you. Not unless you let them. But be careful. He will find every way to get to you, to seduce you with dark promises. Just remember that it is all lies. Everything they tell you is a lie. Solve the puzzle, Alice. Solve it before you are consumed by it like I was._  
-

Alice sat there, pondering the information with dismay. There was nothing that she could do. And as if by a mere strange coincidence, LabyrinthLady answered her.

-  
 _LabyrinthLady1987: Unless you have a fascination with them._  
-

Alice blinked and frowned angrily. Why was it that everyone assumed she wanted evil beings haunting her every shadow? She started to write something very scathing, but her fingers froze inches over the keyboard before she thought about that. What if she really did want them here? Was it some twisted craving for companionship? No. Was it morbid fascination? Maybe. Now that this woman brought up a point, Alice was left questioning herself.

_Maybe I am fucking insane._

O

"She is dancing again..."

Pinhead and Angelique watched from the as Alice gracefully moved and danced to the rhythm of old ballet music playing on her radio.

From the looks of things, she had dug out her old music CD's and the dancing seemed to calm her, relax her from the troubles that she had dealt with.

"Yes," Pinhead replied, his black, empty eyes watching her body's every gesture, every curve and bend as the muscles flexed, the flesh rippling with each sweet movement that she made, "So she has. Pretty..."

Angelique's voice dripped with cunning and ill-intent. "This boy has done more for her to make her happy. What have you done, Xipe? Nothing. Leviathan will not be pleased with such failure, you know. Give her to me. I will persuade her to join us."

Pinhead glared at her sharply. "She is to come to us of her own choice, Princess, you know of our orders."

"Yes, she is certainly crawling on her hands and knees by now..."

Pinhead cocked his head slightly as Alice stretched her very leg high over her head. He ignored Angelique's sarcasm as he often did. The dance that Alice performed was quite fascinating to watch. "She will be."

I wonder how you will dance in ecstasy when I rip your flesh from your bones...

There was a loud ringing sound from the phone and both Cenobites watched as Alice eagerly rushed for it. They listened to her conversation. It was with her friend, Katie. Angelique grimaced with disgust at the sounds they made.

"If I were human, I would have the chills right about now..." she sneered.

Alice continued with her conversation, not seeing the Cenobites close by. "I'm thinking of seeing him tonight, I'm not sure yet," she said, in the phone. She suddenly grinned. "I don't know!" Her face went bright red and Pinhead could tell that this Katie had said something very naughty. "Katie! I am not that kind of woman!...Oh, I SHOULD be?...Katie, come on! I have to move slow with this!...Yeah. Yeah, I do...No, he said something about an opera...Haha, I know, right?...Okay, okay, I'll meet you tomorrow evening at the shop." She rolled her eyes with a laugh. "I won't be late, I promise...When am I ever late?" She started to hang up before laughing sarcastically at her friend's remark. "Okay, fair enough, Katie, I'm hanging up now!"

Pinhead suddenly appeared at her side and Alice took a few careful steps away from him. "When will you learn, Alice?" he said, "He will lie to you."

Angelique was suddenly standing there as well. "I can see what lurks in his darkest of dark, in his lusting heart, dear girl," she agreed, "Why not let me play with him for a while? I can guarantee that he will forget all about you."

Alice's eyes flared with a fury that was never there before. A hidden fire of anger and passion. She whirled on the demon and for a moment, forgot who it was that she faced. "You keep your disgusting hands away from him, you cheap demon slut!" she raged.

Angelique laughed heartily and even Pinhead joined in with pleasure. It was almost as if they were waiting for her to burst in front of them. A joke. She was just a little joke to them.

Alice glowered furiously at the two before she made her way up to the second floor of her house. Their voices rang out around her like a creepy cacophony of madness.

"You have a spirit in you after all, girl!" Angelique hissed, from somewhere in the hallway bathroom.

"Indeed!" Pinhead agreed, from somewhere in the darkness of the halls, "You would make a fine Cenobite!"

Alice called angrily out to them. "Not going to happen!"

Almost as soon as those words left her lips, Pinhead appeared in the room. "How can I put your fragile human mind at ease, Alice?" he purred, "I could give you the information that you desire. There is no need to rely on the blather's of an old lunatic." He smirked broadly at the flustered look on her face. "Did you think I would not know? Did you believe that you could read a few books, solve us that easily? We'd disappear so soon? Not so simple, I'm afraid."

Alice frowned up at him. "Why would I ask you anything?" she snapped, "You'd lie. Only tell me what I want to hear."

"Why should I lie?"

Alice tilted her head in thought before she paced back and forth in the room, thinking of what to ask the creature. Pinhead watched her every movement like a quiet owl, saying nothing. When she stopped pacing, she turned and faced him.

"What do you really want from me, then?" Alice asked, staring at him with harshness, "My mother's deal. I want to know everything."

"I thought it was obvious, Alice," Pinhead answered, "The truth should be quite clear. Can you not see why we're still here?"

Alice wavered somewhat and the demon smiled at her.

"We are still here because it's what you want," he told her, "Look around you, child. Your mundane life is like a twisted vine and you its small, weak little flower. You are becoming choked by it, suffocated. You have wanted to see the sun for so long, but have you ever looked for the light of the moon? It is the nighttime world that you crave, Alice. Freedom from the refrain of living. You have always wanted it, even as a child. We have always known this."

Pinhead was slowly pushing the right buttons with the girl. He could sense it. She looked away from him with shame in those sweet, bitter eyes. So he WAS getting somewhere with her. Perhaps all he had to do was strike that same spot again and again until she crumbled.

"Where you watching me or something?" she asked.

Pinhead chuckled softly. "Hehe. I have had no need to watch you, Alice. You project the truth so clearly in your eyes. Your mind is my open book." He shook his head. "We are not your enemies here, my dear. We are your saviors. Have faith in our ways. Flee from this world and its banal pleasures. Embrace our ways."

His words were almost comforting as Alice closed her eyes and tried to tune them out. But her soul seemed to ache for his promises. "You will never be alone again. We are here for you. They have forsaken you. God has forsaken you. But we shall not."

When Alice opened her eyes again, he was standing close to her now. She jolted and felt the doorknob beneath her hands. He smiled at her, his black empty pools of eyes almost glittering with delight at her surprise. He was fascinated with the fear that she had shining in her gaze; it reminded him of Kirsty. Oh how much she was like her mother. Brave yet fearful. Bold yet timid. The apple never fell far from the family tree.

"Do I make you nervous? How delightful."

Alice forced her voice to strengthen as she pricked her chin up defiantly. It was difficult. He was a powerful force and a very foreboding one at that. "You can't be the good guys in this. You steal people's souls, torture them, tear them to pieces and just then if they're lucky, you make them your slaves."

"Perhaps the same could be said of all religions."

Alice turned the doorknob and she fell flat onto her side in the hallway. The Cenobite glided passed her, the edges of his cassock brushing her cheek almost sensually. "We will always be here because it is what you want, Alice. You will soon understand..."

Later than evening, Alice had decided to cancel on her date with Kevin and get some much needed rest. She was glad that he understood because she had missed out on sleep for the past few days. Sleep sounded better than anything in the world right now.

Just as she climbed into bed, Nikoletta appeared at her side and she jumped slightly at the sight of her.

"Christ, you have to stop doing that!" she snapped.

"My apologies..." Nikoletta replied, not really meaning it at all. She watched the woman snuggle into bed and tilted her head at the sight of the bandage on her palm. "How is that doing?"

Alice frowned at the question and stared down at her own bandaged palm. "Yeah, it's fine, I guess." Just as Nikoletta turned to depart-no doubt simply here to check up on the woman-Alice reached out. "Hang on, wait a second."

Nikoletta stopped and slowly turned. "Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Certainly."

Alice seemed almost reluctant, but she asked just the same. "You don't seem as bad as the others. So why are you with them?"

Nikoletta slowly smiled at the question. "Alice, I would not think that way about me if I were you," she advised, "I am not as I seem. I follow my orders. That is all."

Alice shrugged her shoulders. "Why?"

"You ask too many questions, child," Nikoletta replied, a very faint hint of amusement on her face, "Why do you want to know these things?"

Alice managed a smile. "I don't know. I just do, I guess."

"Even if I wanted to tell you my secrets, I am not permitted to do so," Nikoletta told her, "It would be a breech in protocol. Humans are not meant to learn our ways unless they have every intention of becoming one of us or are chosen as such."

"Either way, you want me to learn, right?"

Nikoletta seemed quite doubtful and she even considered giving the woman what she wanted to know. Alice could read concern and distrust in the demon's gaze before she nodded her head slowly, trying to persuade herself that this wasn't entirely a bad idea.

"Very well," she replied, "I will give just enough if you give me something in return."

Alice didn't like that so much. "Uh..."

"Be weary, child. I will trade you information for some information of yours."

"Oh..."

Nikoletta strolled across the room until she was now standing closer to Alice. The woman was somewhat uncomfortable with the close proximity of the Cenobite, but she knew that the demon would not move should she ask for it.

"I can see the past, present and future, but your intentions are quite smeared, shadowed and blocked by my sight. I can sense your desires, but not your truth," Nikoletta said, "Why is this?"

Alice didn't really know how she should have answered that. "Um...I don't really know. How can I know something like that?"

Nikoletta smiled and she looked almost satisfied with that answer, even thought Alice had not answered her question. She didn't like that all too much because she still knew more than she let on. "Alright. What is your question?"

"Who are you and what do you want?"

Nikoletta chuckled softly. "Ah, the eternal question that has gone unanswered for you..." She took a deep inhale before she spoke. "We are many things, Alice, but if you wish to know, we are the explorers of further experiences. Pain and pleasure have no end among us. We can be angels or we can be demons, given the circumstances. We want you because you were a gift to us. A promise, perhaps. A pure soul meant for heaven's light, brought to us by choice."

"So...say-based on theory-I would go with you," Alice said, choosing her words carefully, "Say that based on this theory and not choice as of now, I decide to throw it all away. What would happen to me?"

Nikoletta shrugged her shoulders; such a human gesture almost. "It would be of the will of the Leviathan to decide."

Alice rested her head on her pillow and sighed. Curious she was, but afraid she was greater. Nikoletta was still in the room, she could see her standing there through the corner of her eyes. Why was she still there?

"Alice, you are clearly not happy in this world," the Cenobite continued, "Why do you still hold onto it?"

And with that, she left.


	5. Part Five

~O~

Alice awoke to the most horrible sound she had ever heard in her entire life.

It was almost like a sound of an infant being tortured, that was how horrible she could compare to the noise. Jolting from her bed, she raced down the darkened hallway, bumping into a few walls with a few angry swears before she was led toward the basement; the source of the sound.

It was still very dark, but there was some light shining in through cracks in the windows and Alice could see the Cenobites standing in a circle around something. When they saw her approaching, they stepped out of the way so that she could see what was going on. When she hurried to the center of the gathering, she was shocked to find Nikoletta on one knee before Pinhead, her face a shadowed mask of pain. His fingers were jammed brutally into her gaping throat wound and they were twisting the tendons and flesh horribly. She made no further sounds at the painful punishment, just silently endured it as she would.

"What are you doing?" Alice cried.

Pinhead's darkened gaze flickered up to her. There was something in his eyes that Alice couldn't quite figure out just yet. Something akin to emotion, but she couldn't quite tell in this light. "Setting the example to the rest of them here, Alice," he told her, "She broke a rule. A rule that she was quite familiar with."

"What did she do?" Alice demanded, her voice nearly hysterical.

The Cenobites looked at Pinhead, somewhat surprised by Alice's concern and wondering just how he would take that. He just smiled at her question and looked down at the Cenobite. "Nikoletta was perfectly aware of the fact that no human is to know of our mission unless deemed worthy enough to do so. She gave you information that should never have been given to you. And so, she must pay the price."

"It wasn't her fault!" Alice shouted, "Please, stop it! She doesn't deserve that!"

Pinhead blinked once, twice before his brow puckered at the woman's words. He seemed confused and startled by her sympathy toward the Cenobite female, unsure almost. Slowly, he released his fingers from Nikoletta's throat wound and turned toward Alice, that same confused look on his face.

"How unusual..."

Alice began to step away as he moved silently toward her. "What is?" she asked, cautiously.

"A human woman...who sympathizes with one of our own..." Pinhead mused, the corners of his mouth twitching, as if he was near to laughter, "Yet she looks upon her own race with such disdain..." He grinned now. "Interesting indeed."

His eyes seemed to search her own for something. While her gaze was defiant and full of many different emotions, his was empty and pitiless. And yet he still smiled. "You are...quite a fascinating creature to me, Alice Cotton."

Alice wavered beneath his powerful, almost sensual stare. She looked over toward Nikoletta who was now standing again, staring at her with the same amount of confusion that was once registered on the Lead Cenobite's face. Almost anger and wounded pride at having to be a pity card for a human being.

Alice cautiously and slowly walked up to the first floor and she opened her front door to get a breath of fresh morning air. She glanced down and noticed that there was a small package laying there. It was wrapped poorly with newspaper.

Frowning, Alice picked it up and carried it inside.

"Oh. Is that another offering from the fool?"

Pinhead's voice came from somewhere in the room, but she didn't bother looking up to find out where. There was a small sticker with a message scribbled onto it. It was from Kevin. Alice smiled warmly as she read it:

-  
 _Hope you feel better._

_Sorry about the crappy paper job._

_Maybe this will help with bad dreams._

_~Kevin._  
-

Alice unwrapped the package and she pulled out a beautifully crafted dream catcher. There were beads of every shape and size, feathers and a lovely eagle carved in wood inside the web. Alice was touched by the gift. She just smiled and ran her fingertips over the feathers. Pinhead watched her with dismay and disgust at the sight. What made mankind fawn over silly little trinkets with no magical properties whatsoever was beyond him.

"Such a trifle object brings you a meaningless joy?" he sneered, "Pity..."

Alice glared at him, but did not retort on the matter. She picked up the object and began to make her way upstairs, no doubt taking it to her bedroom, but not before calling down to him. "I guess that's what makes me human then."

Pinhead chuckled softly to himself. Alice Cotton was in denial. He knew it very well. And yet, what always bothered him was the fact that she still grasped onto her humanity for so long. It was beyond even his comprehension. Maybe she was trying to hold on to a past long forgotten or maybe she feared his future. My, what a fascinating girl indeed... So many conflicting feelings, yet at the same time, so much promise.

Later that night, Alice had to work late cleaning up at the hospital. As a janitor, it left much to be desired, but her job paid her quite a bit of money and arguing about it would be just ridiculous. After all, late at night meant few people and few people meant no taunts or teasing to worry about. And the one thing that Alice liked to do the most was listen to her music on her iPad as she swept down the hallways.

She took a pause and closed her eyes, thinking about what the Cenobites had told her. She thought about what happened to the female, worried about why he had done what he did to her. Protocol yeah, but why did he look so angry about it? His eyes...so dark. Alice could stare at them and become lost in his eyes without even thinking; those black, endless depths of eternity.

When she thought about it, a smile lit her face and her chest prickled with strange heat. She had never felt such a feeling before and it only happened when she thought about them-no, HIM.

Alice snapped out of her gaze and frustratingly swept with harsher, uneven strokes. How utterly ridiculous this was! It was just his temptations! His evil ways! She couldn't fall prey to them now! She had to focus and fight him.

O

"Alice!"

The voice had come from one of the night watchmen standing ahead from an adjacent hallway. She exhaled with relief when she saw him.

"Time to clock out, girl!"

Alice chuckled and nodded. "Right."

She quickly clocked out and departed for her vehicle in the hospital parking lot. There weren't many cars here this late at night as everyone had gone home. As soon as she arrived at her car, a man slammed his weight into her and she started to cry out, but a greasy, dirty hand slapped over her mouth to prevent any of that. Alice's wide eyes looked up into a set of blue, cruel ones. He looked to have been homeless or just a filthy asshole who lurked around in the shadows preying on people.

"You scream and you're dead!" he hissed.

Alice struggled beneath his great strength and she succeeded in delivered a swift kick to his groin, causing him to grunt out in pain and release his grip onto her. She took the chance to reach for her bat located in her car, but he recovered quickly and just as she looked over, he delivered a right hook which cracked her right in the face and Alice was down. The man snarled angrily down at her, kicking her a few times in the ribs for good measure before he peered into her car, looking for anything of use; money, objects of particular value.

As he was searching, Alice slowly regained consciousness, groaning softly. The man hissed cruelly and towered over her. His stinking hot breath smelled like chili dogs and beer. "You think you're so tough, huh, bitch?" he spat, his hands seizing her throat and squeezing hard. "You're gonna die like your fucking slut friend!"

Alice tried to pry the hands from her neck, but her world was slowly darkening around her and her eyes rolled up in her head. Her head felt light and weightless. She was choking, suffocating. Dying. This deranged madman was going to kill her. She didn't even hear what he had said about her friend, Katie. Her ears were roaring with blood and her eyes stinging with tears. He was so strong and her struggles were starting to weaken.

_I'm going to die. I'm going to die..._

She was barely alive to the real world when the man was violently yanked from her body with a terrified scream. She barely heard the tormented, dying screams of her assailant and the wet, warm blood that splashed her face. There were horrible, furious snarling sounds from some unholy being and finally, dead silence.

Alice barely heard footsteps approaching her, barely felt arms scooping beneath her and lifting her to what felt like a warm chest. Alice was so far from reality, so dizzy from her pain that she couldn't see her savior.

"Mmm..." she mumbled, "Kevin?"

The arms holding her tightened slightly at the name and spoke a single word. "No."

Alice squinted through her haze of pain to see his face, but her eyes could not focus through her pain. She smiled regardless of the blood that stained her lips and nose. She reached up with one hand and held onto him. Her savior, Pinhead in Barry's flesh watched the girl close her eyes. His eyes fixed on her lips as she said two simple words:

"Thank you."

Alice wasn't too sure when she started dreaming, or even when she had slept. But she dreamed. And oh, was it a dream.

_Alice was in her bedroom and she was lying in bed, being touched beneath the cool, night bed sheets by an unseen lover. She heard the rustling of fabric, felt warm hands gently stroking her spine. Her lover stood behind her, slowly moving feather-light touches down her back. Her eyes fluttered open and she let her breath stream out as her head dropped back. Inexperienced even in dreams, the pleasure felt real, the touch real. Even the gentle breeze that swirled her hair and curtains felt real._

_"Alice..."_

_The man behind her breathed her name with hunger, love and desire. It was Kevin's voice. Yet for some strange reason, she would not look back at him and he would not let her. She was melting beneath the warm muscular form crouched over her like a hungry predator._

_Alice had never felt what it was like to make love; to taste his hands against her lips, to feel every touch and sensation so gentle, yet enough to overwhelm her completely. Her heart seemed to swell, making her chest feel tight with need and pleasure._

_She leaned her head back, found his lips and kissed him to the best of her ability. She was rewarded with a strangled, animal-like groan that broke from deep within him. His mouth parted from hers and moved down the length of her neck._

_Alice gasped as she felt her stomach flip and her body tremor violently. His teeth pressed harshly into her flesh and she gasped out his name with wild abandon, bucking back against him. The sharp pain that lanced through her from his bite was enough pleasure to draw a desperate moan to follow._

_"You taste divine, Alice..." he whispered, a hidden power there in his voice._

_And then, something drew a sudden wave of realization through the pleasure-hazed woman. His face, when she looked back at him; it was wrong. His eyes were wrong and his words were wrong. He spoke with a hidden power that she should have realized before. Only when she looked at him hard enough did she understand that she had been making love to another man entirely._

_His hands suddenly felt cold against her flesh and yet, Alice could not resist. She had no will of her own, no strength to fight the overwhelming tide of sensations._

_She looked into Kevin's eyes and was horrified to discover that they were dark pools of endless black. Her own eyes widened in horror and he smiled at her. There was a foreign, unholy touch to his smile that snapped her out of her dream._

O

"She is so weak... Humans break so easily these days."

"Keep quiet. Let the Surgeon work..."

"You could have been seen."

"But I was not. So the situation resolved itself."

Alice opened her groggy eyes and noticed that she was back in her bed and a frightening face leered down at her. It was a Cenobite, but his eyes were permanently locked open with a metal headpiece that also stretched his mouth open in a permanent grimace. She gasped out with shock and tried to scoot away, but one of his hands pressed harshly down onto her chest to hold her still. He was stitching up a small wound on her neck and her moving had almost opened it up again.

Alice winced in pain and looked over her shoulder to see Pinhead and the others standing there. There seemed to be more new Cenobites.

"What is he doing?" she demanded, through her tattered lip, "Make him stop!"

Pinhead shook his head impatiently at her cries. "Be calm, Alice," he ordered, "He is tending to your wounds. You will be fine."

The Pistonhead Cenobite was among the new arrivals. He smirked cruelly down at Alice, moving around the bed to get a better view. "Hey, Angelique was right!" he hissed, "You're small, but kinda cute!" He reached out to touch her, but Pinhead's hand came down just as fast and seized his wrist in a tight and rather wicked hold.

"Know this; she is mine, servant," he hissed, menacingly, "The last fool who tried to touch her lost more than just a hand."

Pistonhead licked his lips before he warily backed off and raised two hands in a defensive, yet irritable gesture. "Sure, sure. Take it easy, boss."

Alice blinked at the knowledge and she lied there, staring at the ceiling, trying to recall what had happened to her in the parking lot. Pinhead could read the thoughtfulness on her face and he cocked his head to one side.

"Do you recall anything?" he asked.

Alice sucked in a sharp breath once the Surgeon ripped the small thread. She tenderly touched the wound and smiled up at the Cenobite. "Uh, thanks." she told him. "Good stitch job."

The Surgeon nodded his head once, acknowledging the woman's words, before gliding from the room as quietly as they often went. Alice looked to the rest of the mismatched, sliced and elegantly decorated faces as they watched her; some looked skeptical and others looked impressed.

"Why are you staring at me?" she asked.

Nikoletta was standing behind the Chatterer and the Raven. She tilted her head to one side and spoke softly, eerily. "You do not know?"

Alice studied the blank, hollow faces and she was wondering why they were quiet. They seemed to have been waiting for something because even Angelique was watching the bedroom door. Her smile wasn't particularly a pleasant one either. She looked to be up to something, but then again, she ALWAYS looked that way. Pinhead looked at the watching Cenobites and gestured briskly with one hand for them to depart.

They drifted out of the room one-by-one before the door closed on its own. Pinhead remained, studying the girl with vague interest. She frowned back at him before looking down at her arm and then back up at him.

"You...it was you who saved me?"

"Hm. How presumptuous."

Alice struggled to sit up and she touched her neck where the stitching's were. There was worry and doubt in her eyes, which made the Lead Cenobite laugh at her. "Don't fret, girl," he sneered, "It wasn't as if we'd placed anything unpleasant inside of you. If we wanted to, we could have done so while you were awake and able to feel every single thing..."

"Why did you save my life?" Alice asked, interrupting him in mid-monologue.

"I have told you," Pinhead responded, "You are mine. No filthy fool will dare lay a hand on what belongs to me."

Alice almost smiled. It sort of sounded like a compliment, but she wasn't going to bet money on that. "Uh...thanks. I think..."

"Well then, why don't you sleep?" the Cenobite replied, "You will have visitors shortly. No doubt the human law enforcement who wish to speak with you about the situation. I must depart for now. My pet will keep a watch over you in the meantime."

"Hang on," Alice said, worried about the consequences of the situation now, "So you just killed that guy?"

He sucked his teeth at Alice's wavered expression and gestured with one hand for the Chatter Beast to emerge. "I'm bored with this prattle. Now sleep."

Alice warily watched the Chatter Beast move heavily across the bedroom to her bedside. When she looked up again, the Cenobite leader was gone this time. What was going to happen now? And more importantly, what would it do for her?

The Chatter Beast gave a low, warbling sound that resembled a belch before it rested its paws against its face. A smell like decayed flesh filled the air and the woman nearly wretched at it.

"Sick..." she mumbled.

O

Pinhead moved silently down the stone corridors toward the Leviathan's sector; the God drifting monotonously in his ever-turning circle. Two Cenobites were standing among him, engaged in conversation. The Dreamer and Balberith. They looked up at the sight of Pinhead arriving and quickly straightened where they stood. The sounds of the damned souls screaming were the only sounds amid the silence between each other.

"My Lord, you've returned?" Balberith said, surprised.

The Dreamer smirked at him and took a casual inhale of her cigarette. "Did she scream a lot? Oh! Was there a lot of blood this time?" She laughed and then realized that Pinhead didn't share her amusement before she quickly hushed up, clearing her asthmatic throat awkwardly.

"Both of you, leave," he commanded, "I have to share my thoughts alone with our God."

"But-" the Dreamer protested.

" _OUT!_ " Pinhead bellowed.

The two Cenobites quickly departed, sensing that their leader was in no mood to trifle with them this time. The Dreamer was mumbling angrily to her companion. "Dammit, we always have to leave when something good goes down!"

Pinhead lifted his gaze toward the towering behemoth. "My Lord, I have come upon your request."

When Leviathan spoke this time, it was through the very mind of Pinhead himself. His words were dark, chilling and powerful in the Cenobite's thoughts. That was their connection, their personal traits among one another. When leviathan spoke, Pinhead would listen, yet maintain his own will as he spoke with his God. It was the perks of being the favorite.

"MY SON. WHY DO YOU SEEM SO ILL OF HEART? YOU HAVE FOLLOWED MY INSTRUCTIONS TO THE LETTER. I SENSE ALICE'S WILL BREAKING."

"I am not ill of heart, my Lord, I am ill of soul," he told him, "She desires my own being without the knowledge of knowing it. Her mind offers what her lips do not speak. And for a time, I was tempted by her offer."

The Leviathan sounded almost amused. "HOW LONG A TIME?"

"Seconds. For a Cenobite, that is nearly an eternity."

"INDEED. YOU HAVE DONE WELL. THIS IS WHAT I HAVE FORESEEN."

Pinhead looked briefly confused. "My Lord?"

"IT IS TIME THAT I TELL YOU YOU NOW; ALICE'S NAME IN OUR BOOKS IS OF NO MERE COINCIDENCE, CHILD. IF SHE COMES WILLINGLY TO ME, MY SISTER CANNOT HOPE TO BE FREE FROM HER PRISON. IT IS ALICE WHO WILL GUARANTEE THAT."

"How?" the Cenobite asked.

"MORTE MAMME BELIEVES THAT NO CHILD WILL CHOOSE ETERNAL DAMNATION OVER SALVATION. BUT SHE WILL BE PROVEN WRONG."

O

Just as he had said, they DID come for her. Alice was taken to the police station and questioned almost immediately upon arrival. Alice, despite her visually unpleasant wounds and beaten appearance was not treated with any respect by the investigators. At all. In fact, they spoke gruffly when they led her to an interrogation room like she was a common criminal.

"Alice, before we start, I'd like to know more about your attacker," the first investigator said. "Tell me everything you remember about him."

He was gruff in appearance, his shirt and tie wrinkled and undone in several areas. Sweat was beaded around his forehead and arms where the sleeves were rolled up, exposing grey arm hairs. He looked to have been awake for a long time, given the black circles beneath his eyes.

A younger investigator was standing there with him; Alice assumed that he may have been the man's partner. He was wearing a long overcoat which was funny considering the weather of Detroit nowadays. His hair was slicked back and his beady little brown eyes locked harshly onto her. A young rookie, no doubt, trying to pretend to be tough with her. Alice would have laughed except she wasn't in the mood for it and it would have looked bad on her part.

"It was dark," she answered, "I couldn't see his face very well."

"Really?" the older detective took a spot in a chair in front of her. Okay then. Now it looked like it was time to play Good Cop Bad Cop. He even reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes for her. "Wanna smoke?"

Alice quickly shook her head. He shrugged and pulled out a lighter from his other pocket. She watched his actions, studied his face. Alice was quite adept at picking out every single quirk, gesture and flicker in a human reaction to spot a lie or potential threat. It was because she had spent so long studying people, looking for ways to baffle or avoid them whenever possible. This man was pretty good at hiding his intentions. He had quite a good Poker Face.

"Alice, listen to me," he began, gently, lighting the tip of a cigarette, "We might know why these guys came after you and Katie Daniels."

Alice's head flickered up sharply at the mention of her friend. "Katie?" she cried, "Where's Katie? Is she hurt?" She was standing up by now and the detective gestured for her to sit back down. "Where is my friend?"

"Miss. Cotton, please sit down," he said, gently, "We just want the facts."

Alice felt her stomach flipping as soon as she spotted a gleam of pain in the older man's eyes. It was quick and gone in a flash, but she HAD seen it. Something was wrong. Something was VERY wrong. And it had to do with Katie, she just knew it. She swallowed a hot lump that had begun to form in her throat and stared at the detective harshly.

"Where is she?" she demanded.

"Alice, we need information," the detective continued, dodging her question, "You've just got done telling me that you were rescued by your assailant and did not report to us or the hospital after your attack. Who was it that saved you?"

Alice wasn't sure how to answer. When she stared into the two-way mirror, Pinhead's reflection suddenly stared back at her, cruel and sneering. She nearly jolted where she sat and watched as he narrowed his eyes at her, a warning look that told her not to tell the real truth to them.

When he spoke, it sounded like running water this time and the room around her seemed to sigh like a living, breathing human being.

"Lie." he ordered.

Alice looked at the waiting detective and furrowed her brow. "A friend of mine."

"What's his or her name?"

Pinhead's reflection scowled at her. "Lie better."

"Barry Miller. My lawyer."

The two detectives stared at one another, almost as if they couldn't believe that Barry Miller was capable of something like that. "Barry Miller? I know him." the younger detective sneered, "I thought that he hated your guts."

Alice chuckled weakly, thinking about the slight humor in those words. "We've learned to get along these days," she told him.

The older detective seemed somewhat pleased with the response. That or he suddenly suspected foul play. "Interesting..."

Alice hardened her resolve. "Look, let me see my friend! Where is she?"

The two men standing there glanced at each other, unsure of what they should say.

O

Alice's head had started spinning once she was taken to the city's local morgue. The blood had begun roaring in her ears and her heart raced wildly behind her ribcage. Her breathing slightly increased as the two detectives led the way into the cold, sterile room where bodies were kept.

They stopped in front of a table and pulled back a thick white sheet. A coroner joined their side and they watched Alice's reactions.

The woman's eyes grew wide in horror and disbelief.

Katie Daniel's was lying there on the table, her flesh gone cold and her eyes closed. Her chest was practically riddled with bullet holes. The blood that had escaped her body was now dried and coagulated. She looked sickly and pale.

"Oh my God...!" the woman gasped, her voice shaking.

The older detective stared at her sympathetically. "We'll give you a moment," he told her, "Then we'll need some information, okay?"

Alice nodded and covered her mouth with one hand. She closed her eyes, feeling the tears threatening to burst forth. But for some strange reason, they would not. She felt numb all over and did not acknowledge the two detectives leaving the room; much to the protest of the younger one who would have loved nothing more than to throw Alice away for good. The coroner simply walked out of the room as well.

Alice was alone with the corpses and she tried to breath deeply to calm herself down. When she looked back down at Katie's corpse, her eyes suddenly snapped wide open and looked straight at her.

Alice cried out and jumped back.

Katie's lifeless eyes narrowed furiously and she sat her head up on the metal table. "Hey, Alice, good to see you. Oh, thanks for this, by the way!" she spat, her voice slightly distorted with death and darkness, "You really know how to keep a girlfriend waiting, don't you?"

Alice rubbed her eyes and tried to believe that this wasn't real; that she was hallucinating from the stress and the shock. She wanted to run from the morgue like a maniac, screaming. Any sensible human being would have done so by now. But there was an infinitesimal part of her who couldn't flee from such a sight.

"I'm not seeing this..." she told herself, her voice trembling, "This isn't real. Please tell me this isn't real..."

Katie's corpse sat up and the bones cracked sickeningly into place. She winced before laughing angrily. "Oh, that's good, Alice," she snapped, "You know, I've put up with all your bullshit, all your bitchy, whiny little quips, but this just fucking drew the last goddamn line!"

When she sat up, the bullet holes ripped wide open, spilling the mushy, decayed intestines from her belly where they fell all over the floor with a disgusting splat. Rolling her eyes, the dead illusion bent over to scoop the red, pulpy loops up. "Oh great, just fucking wonderful."

Alice nearly threw up at the sight and sounds and she backed away, almost tripping over another table. "G-Get the fuck away!" she cried.

Katie laughed angrily and shook her head, trying to make an effort to stuff her insides back into her stomach. "I'm afraid I'm not so lucky, Alice," she snapped, "I was yanked out of my body too damn fast and now, I'm stuck in limbo because of you!"

"This isn't fair!" Alice shrieked, holding her head with two hands, "It wasn't my fault!"

Katie scoffed and rolled her dead, sticky eyes. "What are you so angry about, little Miss 'Oh, I have no life. I have no friends' WAHHH! GROW UP! Did somebody turn a gun on you and shoot you to death in an alley? No! Are your intestines falling out all over the floor right now? NO!" She grumbled to herself. "I spent four years on Jillian Michaels for this body and the jackass who wants your money rips through it like a pork chop! Thanks for nothing."

Alice blinked hard. Every time she opened her eyes, Katie's corpse was still there, sitting up and hideous as ever, staring at her. Her features filled with pain and her eyes burned. "K-Katie, I don't know if this is real or not, but I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."

Through the glass of the doors, the two detectives did not see her talking to a vision of gore. All they saw was her talking to a dead body on the morgue table.

Katie's features actually softened that time and she shook her head. "Hey, we all make mistakes." Her voice abruptly hardened again. "I'm just a little bit pissed off that my ass is stuck in limbo until that son-of-a-bitch takes a dive!"

She watched as Alice rubbed her eyes with soft moans to follow. Katie sighed, rolled her eyes to the ceiling before she placed a stiff, damp hand on her friend's shoulder. "Alice, I know what's been going on. They told me everything. You should have said something."

"I didn't know how..."

Katie laughed dryly and she glanced up toward the ceiling again. "Well, I can't stick around here too long. So, what are you going to be, Cotton? A coward and a murderer? Or a woman, with guts enough to do the right thing?"

Alice didn't know what to do. She didn't feel entirely sane anymore. She was talking to her dead friend right now! Alice wanted to throw up, but that wouldn't look good in a morgue. Hell, maybe it was bad luck. She didn't know what to say or do anymore. Her best friend was gone from this world. Gone.

And when Alice looked up again, there was no talking Katie, just a dead corpse beneath the sheet once more.

Alice's soft sniffling sounds were all the sounds that would comfort her alone in this room of dead flesh.

O

Despite her manic moment at the morgue, the funeral was even worse for her that afternoon. Every one of Katie's family members were there, surrounding her best friend's elaborately decorated coffin.

As she stood there, alone despite surrounded by many people, all she received were the cold, sorrowful stares of Katie's family members. They were such a big family too; Alice had always envied them for having each other.

The priest was reading from his bible as they began to place the coffin into the ground.

"We commend to almighty God our sister, Katie. We commit her body to the ground. Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The Lord bless her and keep her and give her peace," he read, "God of holiness and power, accept our prayers on behalf of Katie. Do not count her deeds against her. For in her heart, she desired to do Your will. May God bless you. The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."

As the coffin was placed into the ground and everyone began to depart for their vehicles, Alice cautiously approached Katie's parents to perhaps try and reason with them, or at least find some form of agreement.

Just as expected, they gave her cold, heartless stares in return. Katie's father, Ted Daniels seemed somewhat more gentle in his approach than his wife, Maria Daniels. They were beautiful people, Alice couldn't deny that. Even when they were angry, they were beautiful.

"Thank you for paying for everything," Ted told the woman, his voice strained, "It-It was the least you could do."

Alice smiled sorrowfully. "No. I am glad to have done it."

Maria's tear-streaked face became red and she shoved her hand against Alice's chest, nearly knocking her off of her feet; the small woman was stronger than she looked. "You're the one who belongs in that coffin!" she shouted hysterically, startling everyone there.

Maria's mother, Katie's grandmother moved to pull her away. "She loved you like a sister! She was our pride and joy! IT'S YOUR FAULT THAT SHE'S DEAD!"

Alice only stared back at the screaming mother, those brown eyes reflecting nothing but pure maternal sorrow and hatred; her expression was like a child who had been struck for no reason. Their words seemed to blend in together.

" - Maria, calm down, please..."

" - NO! SHE SHOULD BE IN THE GODDAMN GROUND!"

" - Maria, you're making a scene..."

" - Please, she's just as in pain as the rest of us..."

The family struggled to pull Maria away from a stung Alice. The woman felt like she had been doused with icy water. It hurt more than anything she had ever endured because a part of her agreed with the woman. Katie had a family who loved her. Alice was a nobody. She didn't deserve to live. Her heart was numb and cold.

When the crowd of people departed with the sobbing Maria, Alice noticed that Lucas was still there, sitting on his chair with his head hung.

Alice walked over to him. His face was like cold granite. He was staring statue-like at the fresh grave there before him where his girlfriend now lay; a small pile of dead flesh and bone. Alice ignored Kevin as he pulled up in his car.

"Lucas?" Alice said, carefully.

The still man did not react.

"Lucas. It must have been hard. I can't imagine what you must be feeling." Alice was trying to console him the best that she could because Lucas had loved Katie so very much. "I'm so sorry. I don't even know what to say."

Lucas slowly lifted his head and looked at the woman standing there, as if he had just now noticed her. His handsome face was as hard as stone and his eyes bloodshot, streaked with tears-fresh and dried. "Don't say anything."

His words came out like a cold wind, breathed through his tight, straining chest as if he had to fight to get them out, like a man who could not breathe. His eyes held nothing but controlled hatred and fury. In all the times that Alice had known Lucas, she had never seen him like that.

"Lucas..." she tried.

He stood up slowly and his eyes glinted once, as if he remembered something. Turning to the woman, he made a very small sound and held out something wrapped up in a silver plastic paper. It seemed to have trembled with his hands.

Alice just stared at it for a moment as if she was afraid that he'd break her neck if she took it.

"It's for you..." Lucas breathed in a very controlled tone of voice, like he was fighting the urge not to scream at her too. "Happy Birthday."

Alice's eyes filled and she met his gaze with a storm of confusion and pain. After the longest time, the woman reached and gently took the box out of Lucas' hands. She studied his stone features and smiled weakly.

"T-Thanks."

Lucas did not smile back. "Whatever..." he whispered, turning to depart from her, "It's not like you deserve it anyway..."

_He's right..._

Alice took the half-hearted gift and walked toward her car, ignoring Kevin as she brushed passed him. He held out a hand. "Alice, wait I..." he began. He watched as she walked with a staggering step to her car, saying nothing to him.

Kevin tried to follow behind her, calling out several times, but she simply jumped into her car and drove away without so much as a single word. He watched her go, his shoulders sagging. Alice was hit harder than everyone here, he knew. Katie had been her best friend for years and with everyone putting blame on her, she needed some kind of support. Kevin glanced toward the fresh grave and the departing Lucas; God only knew what he told her.

"Alice!" he shouted, as she disappeared down the road.

O

Alice sat in her car with the engine idling in front of her house. She didn't move for the longest time. Her shaking fingers slowly and carefully unwrapped the gift. It was a collection of CD's. Toby Keith and Lynard Skynard, several of which Alice did not have yet.

The woman's heart sank into cold ice water and she leaned back in her seat with a low choking sound. She covered her eyes with both hands and felt warm, hot fluid trickling down her cheeks. She was crying for the first time in years. Alice gritted her teeth and wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands.

For the longest time, Alice just sat in her car, listening to her CD's through the radio. The engine was shut off and the moon was shining brightly in the sky. Bugs fluttered around her face, but she was not bothered by them. They fluttered around her cheeks, her eyelashes and her forehead. The sensations were cut off and her head felt numb to the rest of the world, forgotten. Listless. Empty.

_Aw...what did they do, Alice? What did they do to Katie?_

The voice was chilling, like thousands of rattlesnakes hissing all at once. Mocking, impatient and cruel. Alice found the strength through her numb emotion to spot two white humanoid shapes moving out of the shadows and toward her car. They were living, walking torso's with stretched flesh across their eyes and noses; the skin was sickly white and their deformed bodies ribbed in painful manners. When they arrived, their smell was horrible, like dead animal fur and urine.

_She was a burden. This will be your freedom._

Alice felt her body growing cold to her very bones, only because they spoke such truth. How long would she endure this? Why was she kidding herself in thinking that she could change her own life? Katie was dead. Everyone in town hated her MORE. What else was there? It was useless and there was no point in hurting herself even more than she had to. She couldn't choose them, so there was one option left for her.

Alice reached into her glove compartment and pulled out a small, bright red multi - tool. She removed a small knife from one of the many slots. The voices that rang in her head seemed to prick up lightly with a faint glimmer of concern.

_What are you doing, Alice?_

She ignored their voices and dumbly brought the end of the blade toward her throat. So quick, it would be so quick. "Yeah, I could do it. We both know you wouldn't stop me..." she whispered quietly, to whoever was listening.

_Death does not become you..._

_You cannot...must not!_

Alice ignored them and just smiled. "Fuck you."

Just as she raised the tip to her throat, a dull chuckle filled the air, followed by an all-too-familiar voice. "Suicide? Hah. I didn't think you were that weak, Alice."

She opened her eyes and Pinhead was walking up to her car with a smirk on his face. She frowned and lowered the sharp tip from her throat, confused by his emotionless persona toward her suicide plans. "If I kill myself, then you can't have me."

"Not necessarily," he answered, pacing around the vehicle until he stopped at her side. "Your soul is meant for hell, Alice. There is a difference between the two." He watched her confused features darken. "Allow for me to explain. Say another fool were to open the box. A nobody. A faceless human with no real significance to us whatsoever. To avoid us and our hell they would take their own lives and wind up in eternal limbo. But you were already meant for us long before your time. You will always be ours, no matter how many times you try to take your own life."

Alice snarled angrily and threw the multi-tool at the demon. It struck him uselessly on the chest and clattered into the dirt. "It's not fair! I never wanted this!"

Pinhead made a sound of pity that really didn't seem piteous at all, still mocking. He placed a hand onto her shoulder. "Of course, of course you didn't, child," he told her, "No one ever means for these things to happen. But they do. Yes, they always do."

Alice felt a brief moment of comfort and she leaned into his arm without even realizing what she was doing. He was so cold, but it was a comforting kind of cold. When Pinhead realized what she was doing, he slowly pulled his arm away from her.

"Alice, what will you do?" he asked her, watching as she rubbed the sides of her eyes, to perhaps hide her tears from him, "There is nothing left for you in this world. Not a single thing." His eyes landed on the radio as the music stopped and began playing something from a church broadcast.

_"The Devil hears you! The Devil sees you! Every night, every day, the Devil knows your souls!"_

Pinhead laughed nastily at that. "You have no idea how right you are!" He slowly looked at Alice, read the glimmer of defeat in her eyes. She was giving up. He knew it now. Smiling cruelly, he reached out one hand. "Come Alice. You will not be abandoned any longer. You must come with us now. Taste our pleasures."

Alice stared at the offered, pale hand and then, to his emotionless, black gaze. There was something that drew her to him, something nameless. When he said she was meant for them, why did she feel like there was a greater significance to his words than even HE was aware of?

She felt her heart pulsating rapidly behind her ribcage like a drum and defeat from the sake of living roaring in her head. There was no reason to lie to herself anymore. No reason to pretend like everything was alright. They offered her everything, so why was she going to ignore them any more?

She shyly and carefully took the demon's hand.


	6. Part Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The room is dimmer now. The thirteenth comes.  
> The philosophic stone is steeped to blood.  
> The petals of the black rose port like wounds.  
> And razor tongues within sing slow pavanes.  
> Now strikes the filial hand (unholy joy!)  
> And scarlet rivers ease the pain of years.
> 
> -Orchid For a Dishonoured Prince

~O~

The Labyrinth was the strangest sight in the world to the woman.

The tunnels and corridors were so grotto-like, dotted with stalactites and stalagmites. It was almost beautiful to her. Every once in a while, the walls, constant and barren would change; some containing portals of what looked like multi-colored windows.

As Alice followed Pinhead, she eagerly peered into every one, fascinated with the sights. When she pictured hell in her mind, she imagined the endless flames and Lake of Fire than those religious nut jobs were always blabbering on about.

It wasn't exactly beautiful, but not as terrifying as she envisioned.

Pinhead glanced back at her. "It is only frightening if we allow for it to be such." he replied, reading and calculating her very thoughts, "To a human, it would only be given their mortal vision. But to us, it is home and hopefully, it will be yours."

Alice blinked and let the consequences of that simmer deeply into place. Home. This strange world would become her home. Alice began to wonder just what it was capable of. The corridors seemed endless. Were they built that way or was this hell just and endless path of stone and flesh?

As they passed down another path, Alice noticed that things had begun to change; there were doorways and windows that seemed more human in appearance and even vines. Hell was altering itself in a strange way that she never expected it to.

The woman stopped long enough to study a peculiar door and Pinhead surprisingly halted with her. He didn't say anything; he was a stone statue as she opened the wooden door and stepped inside. The room was different here; no stone walls, no pillars and spikes. There were just lush green vines and beautiful flowers that Alice had never seen before. They were yellow and swirled with prickly barbs, almost like roses. Over the ceiling were long, jagged spikes that seemed to jut out from every single direction.

"Whoa..." the woman gaped.

She took a few steps inside and Pinhead stood framed in the doorway, arching a single brow at her child-like gawking. "You enjoy this sort of atmosphere, I take it."

"I'm...not sure exactly," Alice said. She was never really asked if she liked something before. She wasn't sure how to answer that question. "It is beautiful though."

She touched a flower gingerly and it suddenly produced a human eyeball directly from its stigma. She jumped back with a start and watched as the rest of the flowers produced similar eyeballs, watching her every movement. In a way, it was creepy, but Alice couldn't resist her laughter.

Behind Pinhead, Nikoletta appeared and she smiled at the sight, almost like that of one observing a pet that had just become introduced to a new domain. It amused the female Cenobite. "She is such a child..."

Pinhead shared her amusement with a small guffaw. "Indeed."

"My Lord, if I may be so bold," Nikoletta told him, glancing at Pinhead at the corner of her eye, "Alice is almost perfect. The Leviathan no doubt has plans for her. There are greater plans in motion than simply becoming a new toy."

The elder Cenobite pondered such an opinion. He knew of the Leviathan's will, but even he knew that his God was not giving him full information regarding the human girl. He wasn't sure why this was, but the Leviathan knew what was best. Perhaps now that Alice was on their own grounds, he would request to know of these things.

"Alice," Pinhead spoke, to the woman, "If you desire so, you may explore the Labyrinth."

Alice immediately felt alarm. How did you respond to being asked to explore a maze? "But where are you going?" she asked.

"I will be with my God," he responded, turning, "It is a matter that I must discuss alone. My pet will be your guide through the pathways." As soon as he said that, the Chatter Beast was at her side almost immediately. Alice looked around the room with surprise. Where'd he come from?

"But..."

Alice tensed slightly at the sight of Pinhead turning so that he faced her entirely. He spoke his next words seriously and sternly like a parent would to their child. "Despite your being chosen by the Leviathan, hell is still a dangerous place for you in your human shape. Stay close where my eyes can see you."

Alice balked at his words. "O-Okay..."

Pleased with her answer, the demon turned and disappeared from the room. Nikoletta followed behind him. Alice thought about something before she walked out and called after them. "Wait a minute!" They stopped and turned. "Don't I need a map or something?"

The two Cenobites stared at each other skeptically before they suddenly laughed loudly at that and walked away, like she had suggested the most ridiculous thing in the world. Alice stood there alone and she tensed at the tormented sounds of the damned all around her. The Chatter Beast nudged the back of her legs and she felt the sharp tips of its fangs against her. She grimaced and frowned down at the animal.

"Christ, impatient little bastard aren't you?" she muttered.

Meanwhile, outside of the Labyrinth, Kevin was just pulling up toward Alice's house. He got out of his car and knocked on the door a few times.

"Alice?" he called, "Alice, it's Kevin, open up!" He received no answer and frowned, peering into the window alongside the door. It was dark inside and there were no signs of movement. "ALICE!" he hollered, cupping his mouth.

Suddenly, as he reached for the door again, it slowly creaked open on its own. Kevin hesitated entering; after all, she wouldn't know that he was here. But he was also concerned about what had happened the other day and how it affected her.

So, reluctantly, he stepped inside the darkened house and called for Alice again. He moved no further, hoping that she would hear him and find him on the mat in front of the door.

"Alice, it's Kevin!" he called, slowly moving into the living room, "Are you here?"

Stupid question. Her car was out front. Either she was home and avoiding him today, or she was home and something was very wrong. Kevin glanced over to the various framed photos of Alice and Katie and he couldn't resist a smile. They were-no had-been such a strange pair; Alice with her dark features and clothes and Katie who was always smiling in the photographs with her bright and happy attributes. Two exact opposites. It was almost uncanny.

The sound of a creaking basement door snapped Kevin out of his reverie. He cast his attention toward the darkened pathway and slowly approached. "Alice?" he called, "Are you down here?" He could smell something utterly foul and wrinkled his nose. "I'm coming down, alright?"

Slowly, the man descended the stairs, feeling around for a light switch. When he found one, he flipped it several times before realizing that there was no power to it. "Shit..."

There was some light at the bottom, which led the man to believe that Alice was down here. He carefully moved further down the stairs until he reached the bottom and he did not feel solid ground, but rather squishy, crunchy things beneath his feet.

Kevin grimaced at the sounds and he reached down to the soles of his feet, feeling something wet and clammy. He gave a sharp cry and dropped the things when he felt them moving.

"What the fu...?" Kevin cut himself off in mid curse. In the In the wall opposite the end of the stairway, a very narrow doorway has simply opened in the wall.

Kevin's eyes slowly widened and he walked over toward it. As he approached, he could make out the Lament Configuration lying in a pile of earthworms nearest the door. Curious, he bent down and took the box, disgustedly wiping the worms aside. Then, he made his way to the gap and stared down the corridor which was lit brightly in some small areas, and yet, absolutely dark in others. Kevin wasn't so sure if he should go down it.

But a strange feeling told him that Alice may have done the same. She may have wandered in here, alone and in such emotional distress. Wherever this place was, Kevin had a sense that it wasn't friendly in the least.

And so, he ventured inside, the box close at hand.

O

Alice wandered down the corridors with the Chatter Beast moving alongside her. Its chattering teeth were constantly driving her nuts. It was bad enough that there were sounds of the tormented screams around her to have to listen to that perpetual sound.

"I wonder how many rooms there are in here..." she mused, aloud.

The Chatter Beast gave her a quick, almost human gesture with a flirt of its head, indicating another turn, but Alice froze and cocked her head toward the opposite path. She could barely make out the sounds of music in the distance.

It was a fascinating, almost Middle Eastern melody that made her body crave dancing to it. Just as she turned to go down its path, the Chatter Beast stopped her, seizing her shirt with its teeth and pulling her away.

"Hey!" Alice protested, angrily, "What's your problem?"

The animal attempted to push its head harshly into her knees, guiding her away from the path. It was making every attempt to keep her from the music, but Alice simply would not have it. "Knock it off, will you!" she barked, "Let me go!"

Alice moved away from the creature and made her way toward the sounds of the music. The Chatter Beast gave a rattling snarl and turned in the direction that they had originally come from, galloping away on all fours to alert its master.

Alice walked down the corridors and arrived in a large, highly elaborate chamber filled with jeweled pillars, bonfires roasting what looked suspiciously like innards and rodents of various shapes and sizes on metal pikes. There were fleshless corpses strung up on the walls with hooks and golden chains. A few had leather straps with spikes slapped over their faces and wriggling maggots worming through their exposed muscle. Some appeared to still be alive and moaning with anguish, their wild, tortured eyes looking down at the human standing there.

The woman shuddered slightly with unease. She cast her gaze quickly away from the bodies and looked over toward a dance stage where two peculiar shapes were moving almost in perfect synch with one another. They were snake-like creatures with humanoid heads and bodies; the demons Basilisk and Chidna. One was obviously male in appearance whereas the other looked female. Their scales and bodies were woven with the very grace and power of hell itself through patterns of gold, flesh and metal. They danced to the music that several fleshy humans were being forced to play.

Their tattered bodies were chained to their instruments crafted of bone and skin and they looked miserable. Alice was almost piteous for them for a split second until a voice froze her blood and locked her where she was standing.

"Who are you who walks among these halls so warmly, living human?"

Alice rigidly turned toward six Cenobites sitting at a stone table with glasses and cups. They looked slightly different from Pinhead and his crew. They wore quite a lot of jewelry in their flesh and golden masks.

"Um..." Alice found her voice simply because she had a very bad feeling about this group, "I'm...Alice Cotton. My name's Alice."

The fat one sitting at the end laughed softly; he was the one who had first spoken; Alastor. His voice was dry and wheezing, reminding Alice of someone choking on something. He had a golden arrow lodged in his skull and golden chains that wrapped around it, some of which were hooked and stretched open his mouth like the Chatterer. He also had a black ponytail and was wearing a leather bound outfit like most other Cenobites, though Alastor's didn't appear to have a top to it. Eerily enough, there was a golden chain attached to his waist that connected him to another Cenobite.

This Cenobite known as Chalkis had a shimmering, owl-like face of a mask embedded harshly with sharp, jagged spikes. It reminded Alice of a giant bird with wings and a tail with feathers that looked to be human hair instead. The only thing remotely human about this Cenobite was the hands that looked distinctly feminine with red nail polish.

"She is the one that Leviathan spoke of!" Chalkis hissed, in a mixture of a man and woman's voice.

The other Cenobites reacted with quiet murmurs and Alastor stood up with Chalkis resting against his shoulders. "Really?" he sneered, squinting at Alice like she was food, "I didn't expect to find you here in my chambers, human girl."

He was starting to pace around her, his smell absolutely foul. Chalkis was snickering dryly and her fingers occasionally stroked Alice's neck. "I'm surprised that Xipe left you to roam around such...dangerous places. Aren't you like a sort of pet of theirs?"

Alice chuckled nervously and the other Cenobites laughed mockingly at her features. "Yeah...I-I guess you could say that."

"Hmm..." Alastor purred, thoughtfully, "Xipe doesn't express interest in a human quite often. I am guessing that he has something REEEEAAAL special in mind for you." He stopped and Alice could feel his stinking breath against the back of her neck. It smelled like the dead.

"I should get going, you know," she told him, "They might be looking for me."

Alastor laughed and shook his head. "Yes, perhaps. But you've ventured pretty far."

Alice sensed that the other Cenobites were getting in on his words and they were slowly standing up. Alice noticed a very grotesque looking Cenobite with the head of a golden vulture, blazing red eyes and multiple snakes for hair. He also wore a leather bound outfit similar to Pinhead's where skin from his chest was folded over top of it. The exception was that this one's stomach was exposed. This was Charun and also known by many as the Hammer.

There were also two female Cenobites with them. One was known as Aeshma Deva. She had golden hair that covered her entire body, though they were also very short and fine. She stood very short to the human and even looked like a dwarf in appearance. She had long slits on either side of her mouth. She was wearing a very revealing leather outfit.

The other was Yama Vidatu, sister to this Cenobite. She was wearing a tight red leather bound outfit, with a matching red mask, fashioned in similar shape to that of horns that was stitched to her face. She had pale skin and white hair tied back in a pony-tail. She also had thin slits on either side of her mouth much like her sister and zippers.

The final Cenobite was Gehenna and he appeared to be male in appearance; his skin was burned off from the waist up, until there was nothing but bone. There were spikes inserted into his skull and he smelled like cooked bacon.

Alice knew they had ever intention of hurting her...or worse. "Y-You know, he'd know what you guys did - Or tried to do!" she tried, threatening them, "They won't be too happy! He'd come after you."

The Cenobites stared at one another briefly, amused and doubtful of her bravado. It wasn't the first time they'd heard such, but certainly not like this. "The human speaks very strange things..." Yama hissed, her voice almost like that of a little girl, "Xipe's charm has gotten to her, that much is certain."

Alastor shook his head at Alice and laughed, grabbing her tightly by the throat. She cried out and it was muffled back into a sharp groan of agony. He was strong and she felt the air beneath her feet as he lifted her off of the ground.

"Oh, I don't think he will try anything. After all, how much could you mean to him if he let you roam around here unprotected?" he hissed, "The Leviathan may be displeased with me, but oh..."

There was hunger in his eyes and Chalkis' gaze reflected that. A burning lust that left Alice shuddering in his clutches. "Your blood...it so... Yes. The blood of a virgin is the sweetest kind there is! I haven't tasted a virgin in so long..."

"No way! She's still a virgin?" Aeshma cried, laughing her head off.

Alice groaned and grabbed the beefy hand that held her high. "Don't...!" she choked.

"Don't be afraid. I'm doing this out of kindness, human." Alastor hissed, snickering. His fingers began to tear the shirt that she wore, exposing her flawless skin to them all, "I'll make it very quick for you. I promise. You will feel nothing. As it should be."

Suddenly, a cold wind seemed to whip through the air, numb and biting. The group of Cenobites uttered a collection of curses and Alastor dropped Alice to the floor with a grunt of fury. The wind carried particles of snow and ice that doused every torch and bonfire within Alastor's chambers. It was so cold that Alice held herself, shivering and rubbing her arms to try and keep warm.

A dark shadow stepped into the room, eyes almost blazing red.

"You wretched filth!" Pinhead thundered, his voice absolutely venomous, "You have seen Alice's body! Your hands have violated flesh that is solely mine to explore!" He raised one hand toward the leader of the group, his black coal eyes burning with powerful rage. "I shall inflict the worst suffering imaginable!"

Alastor chuckled dryly. "Putting on airs as always, Xipe," he sneered, "Do not forget that you are in my domain! We are both leaders of separate Gashes and our powers are evenly matched in this world. The Leviathan sees to that."

Pinhead laughed cruelly. "Evenly matched?" He took a menacing step toward them. "Fool. You have committed the highest error of this world. Not only have you touched what is rightfully mine, you have forced me to become serious. I will gouge out your eyes and feed them to my pet."

He grasped one of the many tools of torture on his belt; a razor blade with many snicks in it. Alastor laughed nastily, not phased in the slightest. "Hah! You think you can take all of us on, Xipe?" he shouted, "You are a greater fool than I took you for!"

Pinhead looked at Alice and gestured with his head for her to leave. She nodded and quickly rushed out of the room, attempting to gather her state of dress and senses. Behind her, several of Pinhead's group began to gather into the chambers and encircle the various members of Alastor's team.

"You forget. Numbers do not make the leader, but it is the skill of the leader who makes the numbers," Pinhead hissed, "Remember your place, Alastor and remember it well."

O

Upon departing from Alastor's chambers, Pinhead walked down the corridors with Camerahead at his side. "What of Alice?" he asked.

"Done with as you commanded." Camerahead replied.

"Good."

Alice had been sent to the baths upon the elder Cenobite's orders. It was a bizarre order, even to the young woman, but nevertheless, a bath was just what she needed right now. The water was a perfect temperature and smelled sweet, like caramel candy and the room was actually comfortable here too; not as spooky as some of the places.

Alice would have relaxed if Nikoletta wasn't standing there watching her as she bathed. She stared meekly at the Cenobite with dismay.

"Do you really have to watch me?" she asked.

"Yes." Nikoletta answered, "There is no need to be prudish, child; I have seen many a skin before." She paused before continuing. "After all, my Lord ordered this bath prepared especially for you. He also does not want you wandering off again."

Alice flinched slightly and slowly submerged herself in the water with embarrassment so that only her crown and eyes were showing. Nikoletta shook her head with pity before she turned and gathered a set of black robes and held them out to the human.

"You will wear these when you stand before Leviathan," she told the woman.

Alice's eyes landed on the bundle of robes in the Cenobite's hands. She lifted herself slightly from the water and looked up at the emotionless face. "Uh...will I have to?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"You are to look your best for him, of course. Now, no more questions. Clean yourself up and I will take you to Him."

Alice watched the Cenobite gathering a few small objects from a few shelves and she swallowed the nervousness in her voice before she spoke. "Hey, have there ever been any other humans who've spoken with him in the past?"

"Once. Maybe twice in an entire lifetime."

Alice furrowed her brow thoughtfully before she reached for the robes and stood up, fitting them to her body. They were much like human bathrobes with various intricate designs on them, somewhat fuzzy and uncomfortable. Nikoletta walked over to her and studied her slightly before she heaved a small sigh of pity, like an artist who had to deal with what she had.

"It will do...I suppose," she murmured, "Follow me."

Alice cautiously and nervously followed behind the Cenobite. Nikoletta gave her an occasional glance to the side as they walked down the darkness of the stone halls. "Calm down, Alice," she told her, "You stink of fear. It is enough to fester within even my nostrils."

Alice gave her a weary smile that carried all her fear and indignant attitude. "Sorry..."

As they moved closer and closer to the Leviathan's chambers - the very center of the Labyrinth - Nikoletta paused at the sound of whipping and screams of a tormented soul. Alice didn't dare venture into the room to see as the Cenobite peered inside.

"You!" she called.

"Yes?" the Cenobite tormenting the damned sounded young and almost naive.

"Ease up. Wait between lashes. Otherwise the older sting will dull him to the new. The pleasure dulls." Nikoletta instructed.

"Of course."

Alice glanced briefly at Nikoletta and a thin smile lit the Cenobite's lips. "Ah, how I remember my first time..."

Alice blushed deeply for reasons she didn't want to think about.

The two continued and Alice finally looked up at the sight of the center of the maze world. Her eyes widened at Leviathan's awesome presence there. Alice had never seen such a massive thing before. To her, it was just a rotating diamond shape from a distance with black beams of dark light shining from its rotating shape.

But as she slowly drew closer and closer, she began to feel a change in temperature. The air felt heavier here and her human fear became realized to a lesser degree.

There were quite a lot of Cenobites here as well; standing several feet away from the spinning diamond God. Their heads turned at the sight of the human woman walking up the pathway with Nikoletta, whispering to one another.

"Heh. I bet she's wearing nothing under that!" Pistonhead whispered.

The Dreamer elbowed him once. "Shut up!"

Alice covered her mouth with one hand and felt like she would vomit at any second. The pressure of the changed air was going to crush her at any second. "Shit... I feel a little sick..."

The Dreamer and Pistonhead moved behind her.

"Don't worry. In a few seconds you won't feel a thing." Dreamer said, smiling.

Alice glared at the two, not really concerned at the moment by the fact that they looked more human than the rest of the Cenobites here. "Puking on yourself is not a good death."

Dreamer patted her roughly on the shoulders. "Look, the more you gawk and think about it, the harder it is to talk to Him."

Pistonhead chuckled cruelly. "Just like sex with you..."

Dreamer glowered menacingly at him before she smiled at Alice. "The key is don't look down...or up for that matter."

"Also like sex with you."

Dreamer whirled on him angrily. "Would you shut up?"

Alice couldn't resist her laughter at their antics and she even tried to hide it behind her hand. Nikoletta did not share her amusement, however. "Ignore them, child," she told her, "They are still very young and still very...human."

Alice wasn't going to argue with her now, not when she was standing close to the spinning diamond God. Balberith was there as well as Pinhead. When the pin-studded Cenobite saw her coming toward them, he inhaled deeply through his chest and straightened. He looked...elegant to Alice and proud; she'd never looked at him in such a way before.

"The Leviathan will speak." he told her, "Will you listen?"

Alice smiled meekly. "Do I have a choice?"

"No."

"Then I guess I will."

Pinhead looked up toward the Leviathan and Balberith took Alice's hand. "Kneel before him!" she commanded.

Alice grunted as she was yanked to one knee and glanced up skeptically at Nikoletta, looking for some kind of assistance. The female Cenobite glanced at Balberith wearily. "She is aware of what must be done, Balberith," she told her, "There is no need for that."

Balberith scoffed slightly and removed her grip from Alice's arm. She was sure it would be bruised by how much strength the seemingly old Cenobite exerted. "Heh. You're getting soft on me, Nikoletta," she sneered.

Pinhead cast his gaze up toward the Leviathan. "My Lord, Alice is here among us," he announced.

The Leviathan's many black beams of light suddenly halted and formed all focus onto the human kneeling there. Alice suddenly felt a strong feeling of power rushing through her every fiber, like electricity that tingled her nerve cells until she was left weakened.

The Leviathan seemed to search her every dark corner of her mind, playing back her memories and darkest thoughts like a movie before her very eyes. Some of course she couldn't have possibly remembered that far back.

Her time as a small fetus growing within her mother's womb was one of them. Alice smiled at the peaceful, warm memory. She could hear a collection of voices through the muffled, thick embryonic fluid. One sounded like her mother and the other was unfamiliar, but she had a feeling like she knew who it was.

"CONGRATULATIONS...ALICE...COTTON..." the Leviathan spoke, a voice of great power and dominion right in her brain, "YOU HAVE COME TO ME OF YOUR OWN WILL. YOUR REWARD...THE TRUTH."

Alice blinked in shock and her world changed all around her, manipulated with a single wink by the Leviathan himself.

"LET ME HELP YOU REMEMBER...ONCE AND FOR ALL."

Once more, the world changed around her and instead, she found herself in a bedroom where her mother-much younger-was standing, yelling furiously at a strange man holding a video camera in front of her. Alice frowned and looked around the room, trying to find the Leviathan if he had any other form to seek out.

"What have you done?" Kirsty cried, distraught and tear - stricken.

Alice's brows went up. She recognized the familiar box in her mother's hands. She had never seen her look almost scared of it before. The man looked particularly unkind too; his smile mischievous and cruel, as if he had greater intentions for giving Kirsty the box. Alice, of course, was blind to these intentions.

"It's just a puzzle. Open it up." he said, in an almost soothing voice.

"I trusted you. I trusted you! Goddamn it!" Kirsty protested, fury in her voice, "How could you do this to us?"

Alice cringed. For some reason, seeing her mother like this almost hurt. ALMOST. She didn't want to see anymore, but knew that she needed to. She HAD to know what went on before she was born and the Leviathan was finally showing her.

"You told me you loved me!" Kirsty shouted.

The man looked about fed up with her pleas and he shrugged his shoulders with an edge to his voice. "Just open the fuckin' box."

Alice watched with dismay as Kirsty smiled angrily, the fresh tears streaking down her face. Her mother glared at the man with resolution. "Is this what you want?" she said, softly. Alice sensed a change in her voice now. "I hope it's everything you want it to be." With that, her thumb stroked the circular panel.

The world changed once more and Alice was standing in the darkness surrounded by chains, a torture pillar and various other Cenobites. She recognized the Surgeon as one of them. Her mother was standing there, shuddering in fear and facing Pinhead. He was speaking coldly to her, threatening to take her away.

"You solved the puzzle. You unleashed the power. There is no turning back," he told the woman, "I will not rest until I get what I want, and what I want is you."

"THE DEAL HAD BEEN MADE...YOUR MOTHER TOOK THE LIFE OF YOUR FATHER. THE ONE KNOWN AS TREVOR GOODEN, THE VERY MAN WHO HAD CAUSED HER SUCH...SUFFERING..."

Alice's eyes went wide in horror as a stretcher pulled up in front of her with the man's body lying on it, jaws open and eyes wide in an eternal scream of horror. There was a bullet hole where his forehead used to be.

"No...that's not right!" she cried, "My father - "

"WHOM YOU HAVE NEVER MET...HE IS YOUR FLESH AND BLOOD FATHER. AND HE IS WITH US NOW, ALICE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO MEET HIM?"

Alice held her head in both hands and squeezed her eyes shut, moaning. "No...Oh God..."

Leviathan seemed to chuckle in her head. "NOT QUITE, ALICE. YOUR GOD HAS PUNISHED YOU, THE BASTARD CHILD...UNWANTED BY HER OWN MOTHER...YOUR IDOL HAS PUT YOU IN HIS GRACE...AND SHOVED YOU BELOW."

Alice watched as Kirsty stood in front of an abortion clinic, her heavy, tired eyes watching the doors for a brief moment. In horror, Alice could only watch. Her mother actually thought about killing her? For what? Because of the asshole her father was? As she continued to watch, Kirsty's features clouded with sorrow and guilt before she turned and walked back to the car that she emerged from, driving away.

"AND SO, AS IT CONTINUES, NO SOUL CAN EVER MEET IT'S 'GOD'. YOUR MOTHER. YOUR DEAR FRIEND. AND SO THEY LIE STILL, STINKING IN THE WORMY EARTH. OF COURSE, SOME DO COME TO ME EVENTUALLY."

Meanwhile, Kevin was wandering the darkness of the Labyrinth, the box tightly in hand. He had passed so many corridors, that he had forgotten where he even began.

"ALICE!" he shouted over the roar of hell's winds and the screams of the damned.

O

Alice wandered down the halls of the Labyrinth, her mind numb after the effects of speaking with Leviathan. If anything, she felt nothing but cold fury at the fact her father was the man she had seen in her visions. It wasn't fair that she was related to such a monster! No wonder her mother had always ignored her. She hated every bit of the thought, but at the very least, Alice was just relieved to have finally figured it out.

Suddenly, Alastor emerged from behind one of the many pillars, grabbed her by the arm and twisted it behind her back. Alice opened her mouth to shout out, but he clasped his disgusting hand over it and whispered in her ear with a smirk in his voice.

"You think you've escaped me forever, little human," he hissed, "Perhaps for now you have. But know this, girl, I am a patient Cenobite, and a human can learn to lose her mind in a place like this."

Alice glared back at him and Chalkis. "Fuck you and the shit hole you crawled out of!"

Alastor laughed cruelly, unfazed by the insult. "Remarks like that don't carry much weight, human!" He paused, but not before snickering and sniffing her exposed throat.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Alice spat, wrenching from him.

Alastor laughed again. "Why, just imagining a blood-stained rope around that beautiful neck of yours girl. Despite what he says..." He resumed a more serious tone now and pointed at her. "But, no matter." He turned and started to go. "You've chosen quite the prison, but it is a prison nonetheless. Set a single toe outside of Xipe's sight, and you're mine!"

Alice trembled slightly as she watched the fat Cenobite and his companion disappear down another turn. She felt a bump and noticed that it was Balberith shoving her way passed her. The old woman Cenobite leered up at her impatiently.

"Be wary around Alastor, girl," she muttered, "Try to stay away from him as much as possible."

Her words held little conviction to them, which meant that she was simply DEALING with the human for the time being. "Uh...can I come with you?" she asked.

"I am going to my library. Come if you wish..." Balberith answered, never breaking her stride.

"I like to read."

"Of course you do..."

The jibe was amusing in a sense and it had the human woman smiling a little. Despite everything, Balberith made her feel more at ease than most.

Alice quickly followed behind her and they stepped into an enormous library filled with towering shelves and literally millions of books. Alice's eyes cast around the room with shock and amazement. Never in her entire life had she seen so many books. Balberith caught her look and actually smiled.

"Impressive, isn't it?" she said, "I have read every book in this library 114 times."

Alice looked stunned. "No way!"

Balberith chuckled and nodded, reaching for a book stitched in human skin. "Yes. I take great pride in my collection of wisdom here, Alice," she told her, "All of the knowledge of the universe, past, present, future... Every dimension of information lies within these shelves."

Alice was intrigued with so many books. It was one of the few things that she enjoyed besides dancing. She walked up to one of the shelves and noticed that Balberith had kept books of poetry here as indicated.

She picked one of the thick books up and opened it, slowly paging through it. It was beautiful works written by the most common of man. Had the Cenobites inspired poetry in humans as well? How very strange and interesting all at once. Balberith glanced over to the side and she seemed to nod to someone who Alice did not see. She was too enraptured in the text in hand.

"'Wine knows how to adorn the most sordid hovel With marvelous luxury And make more than one fabulous portal appear In the gold of its red mist Like a sun setting in a cloudy sky'," she read, softly to herself, "'Opium magnifies that which is limitless, Lengthens the unlimited, Makes time deeper, hollows out voluptuousness, And with dark, gloomy pleasures Fills the soul beyond its capacity'."

She didn't see Pinhead moving down the lengths of the shelves, smiling that same sadistic smile on his face. Just as she opened her mouth to recite more of the poem, he spoke the remaining text for her, "'All that is not equal to the poison which flows From your eyes, from your green eyes, Lakes where my soul trembles and sees its evil side... My dreams come in multitude To slake their thirst in those bitter gulfs'."

Alice whirled at the sound of his voice and she managed a small smile as he finished the poem, slowly gliding up to her. "'But all that is not equal to the awful wonder of your saliva, Alice, that bites my soul, and dizzies it, and swirls it down, remorselessly, rolling it, fainting to the underworld'."

Alice placed the book back into the shelves and she faced him. "I didn't peg you for a poetry lover. But I guess that's where all of your sweet talk comes from."

Pinhead smiled at her, that same sneaky smile that he was so famous for.

Alice frowned and she suddenly recalled that she hadn't eaten since she arrived in the Labyrinth. She looked up at Pinhead. "Can I ask you a favor?"

"Well, you can ask."

"Is... Is there anything to eat around here?" Alice asked, knotting her brow and absently looking around the library, "I mean, I've been here for who knows how long and I haven't eaten anything. Do you guys even eat food anymore?"

Pinhead arched his brows, as if the request confused him; or her manner of asking just amused.

Finally, he chuckled and looked over toward a damned soul in the corner of the library, watering several hanging plants whipping with thorns and broken glass in their pedals.

Alice hadn't noticed him there before. He looked horrible; his bony body so thin, all that covered his bones was leathery, weakened skin donned in boils and opened sores. He wore a neck bracelet with spikes stabbing into his throat, preventing human speech and shackles that stabbed knives into his ankles and wrists. His face was pitiful and sad, cheeks sagging like a sad little bloodhound. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Pinhead's voice suddenly thundered loudly in command to the soul.

"YOU!" he shouted. When the soul jumped as much as its weak body would allow, Pinhead scowled venomously and gesture with one finger like a cruel parent. "Come here now."

Alice felt sick as she watched the weakened fleshly skeleton stagger toward Pinhead and herself. His movements were so feeble and pathetic that she was surprised the former human could even move at all anymore. Pinhead's voice raised again, displeased with the soul's weak movements.

"MOVE!" he commanded.

The soul found some hidden strength still there in its bony body and made his way close to Alice, hunched over. She didn't dare look at the poor creature, but the corners of her eyes caught the empty, lifeless skin sockets still filled with a small remnant of human life.

"I want you to take Alice to the dining chambers for something to eat," Pinhead ordered the soul, "She will select what she desires from them and you will take it wherever she asks, do you understand?" When the soul barely managed to nod his head, Pinhead acknowledged with a half-nod and he smiled at a stunned Alice, as if nothing was wrong at all. His voice was almost soothing. "Well then? Go on and fill your aching gullet, girl."

O

Alice began to second - guess her decision to come here. As she and the former human soul walked to the dining chambers. It was a lovely room, she couldn't deny that; with its glistening window panels and metal pillars shaped like human bodies in the throes of intercourse. A little tawdry for her tastes, but still rather intriguing with spikes and jagged edges. There were finely decorated artifacts crafted of bone and sinew alike, donning the walls of the dining chambers.

There was a side table full of the finest fruits, meats and breads that Alice had ever laid her eyes on. She walked up to it, practically salivating. After reaching for an apple, she recoiled her hand and thought about it for a moment.

"Wait...is this stuff going to turn to dust when I bite into it?" she asked, looking at the lifeless soul.

It made no indication of either. Alice studied its jutting ribs, skinny arms and slouched position. One gust of wind was sure to topple this walking bone bag. She glanced down at the food and back at the soul.

"Are you...hungry?" she asked.

The question must have elicited whatever spark was left and the soul nodded fervently remnants of a weak smile touching his lips. Alice tried to smile back and she reached over to take a piece of sweet bread, handing it to the shaking hands of the withered being. He took it and began to hurriedly shovel it down his throat. Chewing with great difficulty, the soul managed to smile at Alice and she returned the smile back.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked. "Do you remember your parents?"

The soul shakily nodded.

"Were they good people?"

Again, a nod.

"Did you have any reason to believe that they weren't?"

The soul shook his head this time.

Suddenly, there was a low, cruel and distorted laugh that filled the air; distinctly masculine. Alice and the terrified soul looked around for the source of it. She was worried that it could have been another Cenobite who wanted to try and get a taste of her like Alastor.

"Pitying the damned? Heh. No wonder they like you so much!"

Alice scowled upwards. "Who are you?"

The voice laughed cruelly. "Aww, don't you remember who I am?"

Something landed behind Alice and she whirled, noticing a shape walking toward her. Once the light beamed down, she noticed that this was the man from her visions, dressed in a sloppy brown suit jacket and pants. Trevor Gooden.

The one who had betrayed her mother.

The one who her mother had shot.

Her father.

He looked somewhat more mad than the man from her visions too. His eyes were dark with heavy rings beneath them, like he hadn't slept in days. When he smiled, Alice didn't like it whatsoever. She took a few steps back as he advanced.

"So, my baby girl, all grown up!" Trevor hissed, looking her up and down. He made a displeased noise. "Fuck, you look just like your goddamn mother."

"What do you want?" Alice demanded, quietly.

Trevor smiled at her. "To show you just as much fucking misery as your mother brought me!" He laughed at her appalled expression. "You think you're above all of us, Alice? You chose this! And guess what? You're never going to leave!" He reached over and grabbed a knife embedded in the pork roast on the table.

"Why are you doing this?" Alice demanded, raising two hands.

"I want you to see, Alice," Trevor crooned, advancing on her. He dove for her with a roar and began to swipe the knife at her.

Alice ran for the doorway and Trevor grabbed her by the wrist, tossing her into the table so that she slid clear down it and onto the floor. He tsked and shook his head with mock pity.

"You know, when I learned that I had a little daughter, my first thought was, 'Oh shit, I DID knock up Kirsty Cotton after all'! It wasn't some piece of ass bimbo on the street." Trevor laughed loudly when he realized what he had said. "Oh wait! I guess it is kind of the same thing!"

Alice groaned and climbed to her feet. "You fucking bitch!" she spat, "I hate you!"

Trevor was unfazed by those words. He shook his head. "Oh no, what's daddy to do?" he sneered, in a false sorrow-filled voice.

Alice scrambled to her feet and she looked around for a potential weapon to protect herself with. Trevor laughed cruelly. "Aww, now we both know you don't have it in you, Alice!" He began to advance toward her around the table. "You're a coward, just like your whore of a mother!"

When he was close enough to her, Alice quickly socked him directly in the jaw and it snapped upon impact-completely off. Trevor lurched back with a shout of pain and his jaw skittered across the cold floor. Disgusted and surprised, Alice took a few steps back and watched as Trevor moved quickly to receive his broken jaw. She frowned at his quick, hurried actions and almost suddenly, she began to realize his punishment here.

"Ohhh, I get it now..." she said.

Trevor grabbed his discarded flesh and attached it back to his mouth. He glared at Alice furiously, trying to salvage the situation back to his favor. "Shut your mouth, Alice!" he spat, "You're not going to get away from me this time! Mommy's not here to help you."

Alice punched Trevor in the stomach and there was a sick slurching sound as her fist became entangled in his abdominal organs. She grabbed what was once his intestines and began yanking them out through his ribcage. His entire body felt like tissue paper. When he snarled in agony and tried to recover, Alice kicked him square in the balls. She wrenched her hand loose and Trevor staggered back, clutching his groin and glowering at her with absolute poison.

"Haha! You're falling apart! Whatever damage you caused mom is happening you you, only literally!" She laughed, finding herself light with amusement. For once, she wasn't the victim here and it felt so damn good! Was this what the Cenobites had meant after this whole time? "It's not fun when you're the victim is it...daddy?"

Trevor snarled like a rabid animal and charged for her with a roar. Alice quickly stepped out of the way and Trevor stumbled to the floor, his body nearly splitting to pieces like a celery stick. He wailed in agony and Alice smirked nastily.

"Everything you've ever done to her, is already done to you, asshole!" she spat.

O

Pinhead listened to the sounds of Alice's "victory" over her accursed swine of a father while he stood before Leviathan; the chains echoed the sounds around him. So now there was nothing left for the girl in the whole of humanity. She had let go of everything that tied her to the world.

"My Lord, shall I call for Alice to begin?" he asked.

"YES. ALICE WILL BECOME WHAT SHE WAS DESTINED TO BE. AND YOU...XIPE...WILL HAVE A NEW BRIDE."

Pinhead's gaze flickered upwards, an almost human look of surprise crossing his face. "Excuse me?"

"MY SON, ALICE SHALL BE YOURS, THE WAY YOU HAVE ALWAYS WANTED. DO YOU THINK YOUR DESIRE OF KIRSTY COTTON WAS MERE WHIM? NO. IT WAS ALICE THAT YOU DESIRED LONG BEFORE SHE CAME TO BEING. WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU WHERE CONFUSED BY YOUR OBSESSION WITH KIRSTY COTTON? YOU HAVE DESIRED ALICE AND YOU DESIRE HER NOW."

Pinhead made a half-amused, half-disgusted look. "My Lord, that's not-"

"DO NOT DENY IT, XIPE TOTEC, I KNOW IT IN YOUR DARKEST SOUL. MOST OF MY CHILDREN HAVE THEIR PLAYMATES ALREADY. CONSIDER THIS A HIGH HONOR. ALICE WILL MAKE A FINE BRIDE. I SEE IT."

Just as Pinhead turned to go, Leviathan spoke once more. "BE WARY OF ANGELIQUE, MY SON. SUCH A PETULANT ONE SHE IS..."

Pinhead wasn't necessarily surprised by that warning. He walked back the way that he had come to find Alice. After all, there was going to be quite the show when the human body Kevin finally found them. It didn't bother the Cenobite leader. After all, it would be fun to watch; entertainment was rare in hell these days. While he moved down the maze of hell, he issued an order for his Cenobites to arrive at Leviathan's chambers to witness this.

When he found Alice, she was standing beside one of the tables, eating like a contented feline, licking her fingers and lips as she made a move for the fish. "Alice."

She stopped her advance and looked over at him. "Uh...hi..."

Pinhead looked around the dining hall for the fool called Trevor. He didn't see him anywhere. "Where is your father?" he asked.

Alice's gaze darkened to an extent. Pinhead discovered that he enjoyed a more darker side to the innocent girl who seemed not-so-innocent after all. "He ran away after he heard that you were coming," she answered, "But it's okay. He didn't put up much of a fight."

"I see..." Pinhead extended a hand to her and Alice advanced slowly, sensuously, like an eager but quite nervous virgin bride ready for her groom. "Come to me, Alice. It is time for you to become what you were always destined to be."

Alice took his hand and he led her down the stone path. "But I'm a little scared..." she said, her voice somewhat smaller.

Pinhead tilted his head to look down at her. "Do you fear the pain or what lies beyond?"

"Both."

"Oh Alice. The pain, I can assure you, will be utterly exquisite; unlike anything that you have ever endured before in your entire life... As for the death of your humanity, there is nothing to fear. You shall be immortal, you will never be sick, never die and you will never...ever...be alone." His gaze was so powerful, so full of dark promises that Alice had to look away from the intensity of it. "There is not just suffering here, child. There are untold pleasures behind every wall, every layer of skin. Your human senses could not begin to fathom such sensation!"

Why did everything he said sound so...good? Alice's flesh tingled every time he spoke of sensual things. When they passed through the doorway to the center of the labyrinthine hell, Alice noticed a massive gathering of the Cenobites.

They were whispering to one another, some words that sounded derogatory, others were curious while the rest seemed impassive. Alice tried to avoid their powerful, dark gazes as she focused on the sight of Leviathan.

"Xipe," Balberith spoke, cradling a book in her hand, standing at the center, "Is it true that you want this, my Lord?"

"I do." Pinhead answered, guiding Alice to stand and face him entirely.

Alice tried to look up at him, but it became difficult to maintain eye contact when she noticed a strange, sensual hunger gleaming in his darkened, dead pools of black. She looked surprised by the gaze. He had always had a glimmer of emotions like this, but never one as great as what she was watching right now.

"Alice, you will be given a very rare privilege in hell," he told her, "You will become my bride."

That floored the woman. She knew she must have looked utterly ridiculous with her wide eyes and gaping mouth. "What?"

Apparently, it also stunned the collection of Cenobites there as well and they began to talk wildly to one another and to the elder Cenobite at the same time. Angelique's features pinched with fury, almost insulted by the idea.

"Xipe, have you gone mad?" she shouted, over the commotion, "Have you learned nothing from Merkova's death?"

Merkova? Alice had never heard of the name before. She couldn't think right now at this moment. She looked up at Pinhead, who gestured sternly to his audience. "Be silent, my fellow Cenobites. This is the woman that I have chosen to become my wife. I will not permit your insolence or your denial of my rights."

"But-" Angelique recoiled at the sight of Pinhead's almost murderous glare in her direction. She flared her chest with fury and defiance and there was something in her eyes that Alice saw but Pinhead must not have. Jealousy. "Fine! Keep your precious human toy! She will never complete you anyway!"

Alice felt sick by the insult, not from the demon who spoke it.

"If this is a problem for you, Angelique, perhaps you should take your leave." Balberith snapped, over at the Cenobite.

Huffing furiously, Angelique turned and stormed away. Pinhead made a disapproving noise before he turned attention to Balberith. "Let us continue."

Balberith nodded and picked up two bronze chalices. She also wielded a knife and Alice blinked in disbelief. "What are you doing?"

"Blood for Blood," she explained, "Flesh for Flesh. United you shall be in body and so, you shall be in soul." She looked at Alice. "Give me your right hand."

Alice reluctantly and shakily offered her hand. Balberith held one of the cups beneath her open palm and she sliced her with it. Alice gave a sharp cry of pain as fresh blood gushed from her cut and into the cup. Pinhead laughed softly at her reaction. The smell of Alice's blood wafted toward the other Cenobites who inhaled deeply with pleasure.

"-Her blood..."

"-Virgin!"

"-Xipe is so lucky to have her..."

Alice watched as Pinhead held up his left hand to Balberith. "Your turn, my Lord." she announced.

When she sliced Pinhead's palm and captured the blood, Alice noticed that he did not react at all to the infliction.

As Balberith prepared the glasses, Alice looked up at a smiling Pinhead with confusion. She didn't know what to say or do. She was going to be married to a demon! A part of her wanted to rebuke this insanity, but her defeated soul did not want to return to her life anymore. She didn't want that. She WANTED this.

"Why me?" she asked.

"It was always you, Alice," Pinhead told her, his deep voice a sensual thrill to her body, "Always..."

Balberith handed them the chalices and she looped the arms that had their palms sliced together. Alice had never been this close to the Cenobite leader before. It was thrilling and terrifying all at once. "Drink now."

Pinhead slowly drank from his cup and Alice grimaced before she squeezed her eyes shut and drank from her cup. The taste was horrible. She nearly threw up and started to pull the cup from her lips, but Balberith tsked in a scolding tone and pressed it against her once more.

"Drink it all, child." she ordered.

Alice had no choice but to do as she said, forcing the vomit down. The other Cenobites watched with intrigue. They had stopped their jeers by now and only whispered to each other with fascination.

Obviously, they had never seen a human go through with such things in years. Not since the days of Sister Nikoletta's first becoming of a Cenobite. Behind Alice, a Cenobite Creation Chamber began to rise up from the shadows below. It glittered with golden intricate patterns and designs much like the Lament Configuration.

Alice noticed nothing but sheer darkness within the box-like chambers. The Cenobites also studied the designs of the device. While similar in most regards, it had a few minor differences. For one, it wasn't rectangular all around, but more circular with darker purple coloring in the center. Inside were various blades, hooks and needles.

Alice was slowly guided into the machine by Pinhead and Balberith. She felt a terror unlike no other at the terrifying sight of the tools of torture. She had one last moment to meet Pinhead's eyes.

"You wanted out, my child, and this is out," his voice pierced through the storm of terror and he watched the fear in Alice's eyes lessen a few degrees, "I am your way out. THIS will be your way out of your own hell and into another."

Alice gave a soft gasp as the doors roared shut, bathing her into darkness.

Then, the pain began.

If Alice had ever been in pain before, it was nothing but a joke compared to the thing she was experiencing right now. She didn't know how long she had started screaming or where it ended and began. Everything was pain. Pain. When HE had said there'd be pain, he was sure as hell not joking.

Her body felt like it was being ripped apart and put back together again; over and over numerous times.

Alice screamed until her throat was raw, feeling sharp objects slicing into her back now, ripping into her so deeply, trying to burn her very soul into ash, the black ash that was him.

But something happened along her physical torment. The pain was there, but it had changed, altered itself into a new more pleasurable being.

Her screaming voice had changed this time. She could hear a lower, more powerful pitch to it that burst from her throat like a wild animal.

_Me...I'm not me. I'm. Not. Me. I'm...not me..._

Alice saw her every human world flash before her bleeding, slashed eyes. From birth to rebirth, everything was tangible and she saw her childhood self standing alone in the schoolyard, her sad green eyes staring up at this changing future self, as if she was sad to see her become this way, become a monster of her own darkest fantasies.

She could see her family tree, glowing branches that seemed to extend from her ancestors to her family line. Suddenly, when they arrived at Alice, the lines snapped like twigs and began to gush bright red blood down the Cotton Family names through the centuries and the ages before them.

Frank Cotton.

Larry Cotton.

Kirsty Cotton.

_And me...Alice Cotton. Pitiful Alice Co-_

Sharp things jammed themselves through her skull, nearly splitting it down the middle. A jet of heat washed down her back and Alice howled again, only this time, she was no longer in agony. No longer in sorrow.

It was a carnal roar that burst from her throat; the scalding heat that ripped through her body finished her again and again. All that she felt was pleasure.

Just pleasure.

Sweet, delicious pleasure as her new God fucked her. Over and over again.

_Let him fuck you._

_Goodbye Alice. It's been fucking swell._

_No it hasn't._

O

Kevin found himself among the Leviathan's chambers and his eyes grew wide in horror at the sight of the Cenobites and rotating god. "OH MY GOD!" he shouted.

The Cenobites turned and Pinhead smiled with delight. "Ahh, just in time!" he said, "She will be arriving soon!"

"Where is she?" Kevin demanded, not seeing two Cenobites walking up behind him.

Pinhead nodded to them and they seized Kevin's arms. He shouted out with fury and shock as they forced him to his knees, struggling as much as he could from their grips. But he found that it was like trying to fight a concrete wall. They were too powerful.

Pinhead just watched this with a smirk. This was going to be more fun than he intended it to be. Alice would arrive from her transformation and he would become broken.

Two for the price of one.

"LET HER GO!" Kevin shouted.

Pinhead smirked cruelly. "Never!"

The roar of Leviathan's powerful voice drew all attention to him. "BEHOLD! ALICE COTTON NO MORE! I GRANT YOU, MY CHILDREN, THE CENOBITE PRINCESS, XILONEN!"

And at his words, the Creation Chamber rose up from below the depths and arrived before them all. The doors roared open and out stepped a female of extraordinary beauty and gore. Like a newborn child, she was stained and soiled with amniotic fluids and blood and her hands slowly ran through the gore on her face, an exstatic expression on her face.

What used to be Alice Cotton was now the Cenobite Xilonen.

Her skin was pale white instead of that fleshy pink. Her head was shaved bald except for a mullet-style patch of hair that swung to one side of her head where sharp needles had been stabbed into the back of her skull like a twisted form of a crown.

She was dressed in that leathery outfit like the rest of them, similar to Nikoletta's and Pinhead's. Only she was wearing high heeled leather boots. The bones of her feet had been ripped out through the heels into sharp, jagged points and her nails were just as long as they were. Her back had been ripped open and stitched up again, the muscle pulled back with hooks and wire to form bizarre wing-like protrusions. She appeared to have been taller than when she was human too.

The creature inhaled deeply, a low rattling purr before her eyes opened. Kevin felt himself growing sick at the sight. No longer did Alice have the lovely green eyes that he adored, but empty black pools, like Pinhead's.

Leviathan spoke, his voice filled with pride at his latest creation. "XILONEN, WELCOME TO YOUR NEW LIFE."

Alice-Xilonen looked around at the various Cenobites, her pale brow knotted at their gaping stares, especially from the males of the group. She frowned and reacted up to touch the fresh wounds on her body.

"May I see a mirror?" When she spoke, her voice was brassy like copper bells and it nearly melted every male in the chamber.

"Of course." Pinhead answered. He gestured to Balberith, who lifted up a small hand mirror for the Cenobite woman.

Xilonen studied her face in the reflection, touching her nose, her still - fresh bleeding wounds, and her black lipstick lips. The others watched her reactions, almost confused by the doubt in her features. Pinhead took a step forward and knotted his brow.

"Xilonen, what's the matter? Are you not pleased?" he asked.

She suddenly smiled and nodded. "I'm...beautiful? Am I really this beautiful?"

Pinhead's eyelids dropped halfway and his voice carried that dark register that he had before she entered the chambers. "Oh yes, you certainly are. Leviathan has done well. You will become the envy of every demon here."

Xilonen handed the mirror to Balberith. "ALICE!" Kevin shouted.

The Cenobite furrowed her brow toward the writhing human. There was nothing but dark shadow there. She obviously did not recognize him anymore. "What are you doing with that human?" she asked, looking at Pinhead.

"Oh, he is just a mere invader in our plans," he answered, raising his hand in a gesture of command, "He will be disposed of immediately."

"No."

The Cenobites stared at Xilonen, confused by her word. "No?" Nikoletta repeated, dumbfounded.

"No. Let him go, you two." Xilonen commanded, gesturing to the two Cenobites that held Kevin.

They stared at Pinhead, unsure of what to make of this request. The Cenobite leader looked at her and he seemed a trifle bit angry by her decision. "Xilonen, I do not understand. Please explain yourself to us."

Xilonen tilted her head at the wriggling human and a smile slowly stretched the corners of his mouth, like a cat surveying a mouse, deciding to play with its food rather than outright kill it. It wasn't friendly in any way. Her gaze stung like a basilisk's stare and nearly froze Kevin where he was crouched. "He's mine."

The Cenobites relaxed at that and even laughed wickedly. Xilonen was going to make her first kill and they hoped that it would be quite a show. Pinhead chuckled darkly and nodded his head, ultimately pleased now.

"As you wish, my dear."

The Cenobites released Kevin and he grunted sharply, feeling Xilonen approaching, listening to the clicking sounds of her boots against cold stone. He looked up desperately. "Alice! Holy shit, what did they do to you?"

Xilonen stopped in her gait and looked confused by the name. "Who is this Alice?" she demanded, "I am Xilonen now."

"No! No, they filled your head with lies and you let them do- ACK!" Kevin was cut off in mid rant as Xilonen grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off of the floor. He struggled in her impossibly strong grip. "Please, Alice, don't do this!"

"Why not?"

Kevin looked flabbergast by her emotionless smile and cruel gaze. She dropped him to the floor and something clattered near them, but Xilonen didn't notice it just yet. She bent over him like a hungry predator and pressed her face horribly close to his. He felt the sharp ends of her needles scraping against his forehead.

"Would you want to know what it was like, being with Him? When I was being torn apart by Him?" Her mouth was close to Kevin's ears now. "When I took it all? All the sweet, delicious pain? It was like being fucked by God. Oh, it felt so good. Everything was pain, beauty and agony. I was a scared little virgin, but no more. I belong to him and he me."

Kevin moaned in anguish and despair at such coarse words coming from his former being of attraction's mouth. "Th-That's not you talking!" he whispered, horrified, "They've messed you up."

Xilonen laughed nastily and stood up. "Heh. Are you upset that you missed the opportunity to do that yourself?"

She backed away and her foot crunched something. Frowning, the Cenobite woman turned around and spotted the object; a broken dream catcher. The same one that Kevin had given ALICE.

"What is this?" she wondered, aloud.

She bent down and scooped up the broken thing in her hands, turning it around for study before uttering a laugh directed at Kevin. "Do you truly believe that this will keep us nightmares away?" Another laugh.

"No!" Kevin insisted, "I gave that to you! Don't you remember? You were happy to have it!"

Xilonen frowned at him, as if the idea was utterly ridiculous to her. "Puh. You MUST be joking!" She stared down at the object in her hands, the broken wood and ran her fingertips over the small carved stone. "Such a weak little thing! It breaks so easily..."

She continued to stare at it before a strange look crossed her face. Finally, it was followed by a slight widening of her eyes and parting of her lips. The other Cenobites stared at her, worried by her sudden silence.

"Xilonen?" Nikoletta inquired.

Xilonen's beautiful features were pulled taut with pain. Only not the pain that she endured in the Creation Chamber. No, this was real pain. Real sorrow. She dropped the dream catcher and stared at her now shaking hands. Kevin stared back desperately, his eyes searching for that human woman somewhere deep within her.

"Nooo..." she moaned, her voice oddly less demonic and slightly more human.

"Xilonen, what's wrong?" Pinhead demanded, moving to her side. He reached out with one hand. "Are you-"

She wrenched from him and screamed, her brassy voice horrible. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" she shrieked, "LEAVE ME ALONE! FUCKING...!" Tears of blood began to gush down the lengths of her cheeks and she turned, sprinting down the corridors of hell.

Leviathan actually seemed alright with this sight. "LET HER GO. SHE STILL HAS A FEW LINGERING MORTAL EMOTIONS. THEY WILL PASS IN TIME."

Pinhead watched the Cenobite depart before he smiled down at Kevin, grabbing him by one arm. "Bravo, human," he sneered, squeezing so hard that it had begun to hurt, "You have now become useful after all."

Kevin's eyes grew wide with horror.

O

Xilonen had been hidden from the remaining Cenobites and they searched high and low for her through the maze of hell. She didn't feel much like talking to anyone right now, holding on to her humanity for as long as she could, feeling it slowly slipping away between ghostly fingertips.

She ended up crossing paths with Alastor and his Gash. Not entirely the highlight of her day there either. She expected them to put up a fight too, but they actually stared at her, stunned looks on their faces. Even Alastor looked shocked.

"You have been made into quite a woman, Alice Cotton," he said.

Xilonen narrowed her eyes at them all. "If you wish to fight me, then go ahead," she told them, coldly, "Otherwise, just back it off or I'll take it off."

The threat made the males laugh at that. "Ooh, I think that I might like that!" Gehenna whispered.

Xilonen walked away with a sound of irritation, not planning on starting anything with them right now. She walked until she arrived at her favored "plant room" and just moved up to the living plants, stroking their pedals and vines. They almost purred at her touch and their bodies vibrated. She smiled at them, drawing comfort in their amusement.

"Hey! I found her!" came a voice from behind her who could only be Pistonhead.

Xilonen rolled her eyes and glared back at the grinning Cenobite. "How opposed are you to having that piston shoved up your ass?"

Pistonhead looked thoughtful for a moment before he grinned and licked his lips. "I'm open to it." He grunted when Dreamer came by and pushed his shoulder roughly. He glared at his companion furiously as she ushered him from the room. "You are such a cock blocker, you know that?"

"Do I have to kill you to stop you from being an idiot?" Dreamer spat back.

Xilonen listened to the sounds of the Cenobite lovers as they walked down the halls with a dry chuckle of her own. Pinhead emerged from the doorway, tilting his head at the sight of the female here inside the room of familiarity.

"Ah. I figured as such. You did love this room." he mused.

Xilonen relaxed her shoulders. "What do you want?" her voice was weary.

"I have a gift for you, Xilonen, my love," he said, reaching behind him and gesturing to something with a snap of his fingers, "Consider it a wedding present."

Behind him, a Cenobite pet emerged, slightly taller than the Chatter Beast and longer in body structure as well.

Xilonen looked shocked by the sight of the "animal" there. It looked almost like a panther in size and shape without its fur and skin; its eyes were covered with extra flesh that blinded it and teeth pulled back with hooks and wire, like Pinhead's Chatter Beast. There was a leather outfit strapped tightly to the creature's chest with spikes and straps, much like Pinhead's pet. It's meow-like sound was powerful and demonic.

She grinned and knelt down, reaching out with her arms. Immediately, the creature rushed into them and she laughed as she pet it's head. "Oh he's perfect!" she cried, "Oh thank you! I love him!"

Pinhead's nose curled at the display. It was hard to tell if he was amused or disgusted. "My, my, some things will never change..."

The cat - creature made a strange purring sound and Xilonen smiled down at it, running her fingers over its human-like spine. "I'll call him Mahes!"

"Ahh. Lord of Massacre... Quite a name for a common pet."

Xilonen stood up and she smiled at him. She seemed to understand where this pet had come from and it gave her relief. The greatest relief she had ever known this time since her previous despair. Leaning in close, her chest sliding against his, she whispered, "Thank you."

Pinhead's arms moved to her shoulders and he spoke seriously and with bare jealousy. "Now then, do not think of him or speak of him in front of me again." He leaned his head forward and spoke his next words powerfully, "It is because you are mine and only mine."

Xilonen chuckled quietly and nodded her head. Pinhead raised a single finger and touched those pale white lips that he longed to taste since he had first watched her dream of him. "Allow for me to share this one simple taste of you..." he murmured, and his voice sounded lower, hungrier. "I have wanted to do much more than just taste a petty sample of your blood. I shall give this world's highest pleasure to you."

She smiled fiendishly and reached up to his chest, sliding her thumb into one of the many wounds there. It was a move that should have hurt, but instead, Pinhead stiffened in pleasure. He glared down at her and showed his teeth with a sharp hiss.

"You want to play, do you?"

Xilonen continued to grin before she pulled her finger away and walked toward the door, but not before giving him a sly look and putting all of her focus into looking as physically appealing as possible. She walked away and the Cenobite Lord followed with a hungry sound.

As the female Cenobite walked down the dark corridors, she began to ponder her life here from her pathetic one when she was human.

_It's better this way. At least now I'm stronger._

She smirked and quickly broke out into a full run through the labyrinth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The poem that Alice is reading is Le Poisons by Charles Baudelaire.


End file.
